Report & accounts 2002 in full - Unilever
Report & accounts 2002 in full - Unilever
Report & accounts 2002 in full - Unilever
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Cont<strong>in</strong>ued growth<br />
• Lead<strong>in</strong>g brands grow by 5.4%<br />
• Operat<strong>in</strong>g marg<strong>in</strong> BEIA of 14.9% is a new record<br />
• Cash flow from operations <strong>in</strong>creases to €7.9 billion<br />
• Earn<strong>in</strong>gs per share (BEIA) grows 21%<br />
Susta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g the momentum<br />
We are delighted to report a further year of susta<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
growth towards the targets set <strong>in</strong> our Path to Growth<br />
strategy. Lead<strong>in</strong>g brands grew by 5.4% and, with the build<br />
up of our <strong>in</strong>novation programmes and marketplace activity,<br />
we have ga<strong>in</strong>ed momentum through the year and have<br />
f<strong>in</strong>ished strongly.<br />
Operat<strong>in</strong>g marg<strong>in</strong> BEIA rose to 14.9%, a ga<strong>in</strong> of 1%<br />
over 2001. Another record high. The impact of devalu<strong>in</strong>g<br />
currencies this year means that whilst turnover is at the<br />
same level as 2001 at constant rates of exchange, it has<br />
decl<strong>in</strong>ed by 7% at current rates. Similarly operat<strong>in</strong>g profit<br />
BEIA <strong>in</strong>creased by €0.5 billion at constant rates but was flat<br />
at current rates of exchange. Figures <strong>in</strong> this statement are<br />
at constant exchange rates.<br />
In <strong>2002</strong> the global economy grew slowly and it was a<br />
tougher environment <strong>in</strong> which to operate. Slower growth<br />
and the uncerta<strong>in</strong> economic and political context caused<br />
turbulence <strong>in</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ancial markets. Once aga<strong>in</strong>, our bus<strong>in</strong>ess<br />
showed its resilience <strong>in</strong> tough times. Our people used their<br />
skill, experience and total determ<strong>in</strong>ation to deliver a robust<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess performance.<br />
Earn<strong>in</strong>gs per share (BEIA) grew by 21% and for the second<br />
year runn<strong>in</strong>g our Total Shareholder Return (TSR) over one<br />
year was <strong>in</strong> the top third of our peer group. Our challenge<br />
is to susta<strong>in</strong> this over a three-year period and beyond.<br />
We cont<strong>in</strong>ued to generate a healthy cash flow from<br />
operations. In addition, net proceeds from divestment<br />
of non-core activities <strong>in</strong>cluded €1.0 billion cash from<br />
DiverseyLever, our <strong>in</strong>stitutional and <strong>in</strong>dustrial clean<strong>in</strong>g<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess, with a m<strong>in</strong>ority <strong>in</strong>terest reta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> the merged<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess of JohnsonDiversey. Other divestments <strong>in</strong>cluded<br />
Mazola <strong>in</strong> North America and Loders Croklaan, our <strong>in</strong>dustrial<br />
speciality oils and fats bus<strong>in</strong>ess. In total, our cash flow<br />
enabled us to reduce net <strong>in</strong>debtedness and, with the benefit<br />
of lower <strong>in</strong>terest rates, <strong>in</strong>terest costs were 22% lower than<br />
<strong>in</strong> 2001.<br />
Meet<strong>in</strong>g Path to Growth targets<br />
We cont<strong>in</strong>ued on track towards our Path to Growth targets<br />
of 5-6% susta<strong>in</strong>ed top-l<strong>in</strong>e growth and operat<strong>in</strong>g marg<strong>in</strong><br />
BEIA of 16% by 2004. Lead<strong>in</strong>g brands grew by over 5%<br />
for the second year runn<strong>in</strong>g. Innovation was key to this<br />
success. Advertis<strong>in</strong>g was entirely focused on our lead<strong>in</strong>g<br />
brands which constituted 89% of total turnover at the<br />
end of the year.<br />
<strong>Unilever</strong> Annual <strong>Report</strong> & Accounts and Form 20-F <strong>2002</strong><br />
Chairmen’s statement 5<br />
A further healthy <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> operat<strong>in</strong>g marg<strong>in</strong> has been<br />
achieved whilst progressively <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>vestment beh<strong>in</strong>d<br />
our brands. Our restructur<strong>in</strong>g programmes cont<strong>in</strong>ue to<br />
deliver on plan and the target of €1.6 billion procurement<br />
sav<strong>in</strong>gs was passed ahead of schedule. Furthermore,<br />
by the end of the year we had reached the <strong>full</strong> Bestfoods<br />
<strong>in</strong>tegration sav<strong>in</strong>gs target of €0.8 billion, aga<strong>in</strong> ahead<br />
of plan.<br />
Energis<strong>in</strong>g our people<br />
We can only meet and susta<strong>in</strong> the objectives of our Path to<br />
Growth strategy if our people have a passion for w<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and a culture that encourages and rewards enterprise.<br />
The development of Leaders <strong>in</strong>to Action programmes and<br />
the days we spend with our young leaders of tomorrow are<br />
part of an overall programme to drive change. The results<br />
are evident <strong>in</strong> the enthusiasm to w<strong>in</strong> we see throughout the<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess and the examples of <strong>in</strong>novation that are driv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
faster growth and improved results. To recognise their<br />
efforts we extended our long-term reward schemes and<br />
variable pay to more employees.<br />
The energy with which our colleagues throughout the<br />
bus<strong>in</strong>ess have responded to the Enterprise agenda is<br />
exceptional. They have risen to the challenge with great<br />
determ<strong>in</strong>ation as is clear from the results.<br />
Brands and regions<br />
In Home & Personal Care we have susta<strong>in</strong>ed the lead<strong>in</strong>g<br />
brand growth <strong>in</strong> excess of 6%. In particular our personal<br />
care brands cont<strong>in</strong>ue to perform well and home care<br />
marg<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong>creased sharply.<br />
The extension of Dove from sk<strong>in</strong> care to hair care<br />
contributed to the spectacular performance of this brand,<br />
which grew by over 25% for the fourth year runn<strong>in</strong>g and<br />
is now achiev<strong>in</strong>g sales of over €2 billion. Dove shampoo<br />
and conditioners were rolled out across 31 more countries.<br />
In deodorants Rexona, and particularly Rexona for Men,<br />
grew strongly.<br />
In Foods, the focus <strong>in</strong> the first half of the year was on<br />
complet<strong>in</strong>g the Bestfoods <strong>in</strong>tegration, provid<strong>in</strong>g the firm<br />
platform on which to leverage <strong>in</strong>novation and marketplace<br />
activity <strong>in</strong> the second half. This has delivered accelerat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
lead<strong>in</strong>g brand growth and for the <strong>full</strong> year it was 4.4%.<br />
Knorr is prov<strong>in</strong>g a powerhouse of ideas for savoury products<br />
and is be<strong>in</strong>g extended well beyond its orig<strong>in</strong>al concept of<br />
bouillon cubes. Bertolli is be<strong>in</strong>g extended to support<br />
products which have an Italian heritage. Consumers<br />
<strong>Report</strong> of the Directors