Companies and Brands

Why Procter & Gamble Q2 Earnings Were Not Enough

Chris Lange

Published: January 23, 2018 9:50 am

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 4:13 am

Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE: PG) released its most recent quarterly results before the markets opened on Tuesday. The company posted $1.19 in earnings per share (EPS) and $17.4 billion in revenue, compared with consensus estimates from Thomson Reuters that called for $1.14 in EPS on revenue of $17.39 billion. The same period of last year reportedly had EPS of $1.08 and $16.86 billion in revenue.

During the quarter, the company tallied a provisional net charge of $628 million related to the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, comprised of an estimated repatriation tax charge of $3.8 billion (comprised of the U.S. repatriation taxes and foreign withholding taxes) and a net deferred tax benefit of roughly $3.2 billion.

P&G reported its quarterly results for its business segments as follows:

• Beauty segment organic sales increased 9% to $3.23 billion.
• Grooming segment organic sales decreased 3% to $1.78 billion.
• Health Care segment increased organic sales 4% to $2.21 billion.
• Fabric and Home Care segment organic sales increased 3% to $5.43 billion.
• Baby, Feminine and Family Care segment organic sales decreased 1% to $4.61 billion.

Looking ahead to the fiscal 2018 full year, the company expects to see core EPS up 5% to 8%, compared to in 2017. P&G also expects all-in sales growth of about 3% in the same time. The consensus estimates call for $4.18 in EPS and $67.05 billion in revenue for the 2018 fiscal year.

David Taylor, board chair, president and chief executive, kept it short and sweet:

We accelerated organic sales growth and delivered strong productivity cost savings and cash flow. We remain on track to achieve our fiscal year objectives.

Shares of Procter & Gamble traded down about 3% at $89.18 early Tuesday, with a consensus analyst price target of $93.84 and a 52-week range of $85.42 to $94.67.