Colgate-Palmolive highlights organic growth in 2015

Colgate-Palmolive has announced its financial results for 2015, during which it was able to achieve organic growth despite difficult trading conditions.

The company's net sales total for the year came to $16.03 billion (11.14 billion pounds), representing a nominal year-on-year decrease of seven percent. However, negative currency trends were cited as a key reason for this drop, as organic sales were up by five percent.

A similar organic growth rate was recorded for the fourth quarter of the year, during which $3.9 billion was generated in net sales. Emerging market performance was cited as a key driver of this momentum.

The firm's leading share of the global toothpaste market increased by 0.5 percentage points to 44.7 percent, while its share of global manual toothbrush sales also rose by one percentage point to 34.7 percent.

Another year of solid organic sales growth is forecast for 2016, driven by a full new product pipeline across all categories and geographies.

Ian Cook, the company's chairman, president and chief executive officer, said: "We are pleased to have finished the year with another quarter of strong organic sales growth, with every operating division contributing."