Beiersdorf sees sales growth pickup on emerging markets

HAMBURG, Germany - Germany's Beiersdorf expects sales growth to accelerate to 3-5 percent this year with a slight improvement in its core profit margin, thanks to growth in emerging markets.

The maker of Nivea skin cream said on Friday its 2014 sales in Latin America rose 7.1 percent, led by Brazil, while revenues from the Africa/Asia/Australia region jumped 9.6 percent.

"Many markets in the region generated good or extremely good growth rates, although economic growth has eased in some markets, particularly in China," Beiersdorf said in a statement.

Beiersdorf's comments stand in contrast to comments by consumer goods group Unilever , which said last month that it expected another sluggish year after a slowdown in emerging markets and flagging developed economies curbed demand for everything from soup to soap in 2014.

France's L'Oreal, meanwhile, has beat forecasts in quarterly revenues published earlier this month as sales growth picked up in the final quarter of 2014.

Beiersdorf, which also makes La Prairie luxury skin care creams and Labello lip balm, reported 2014 group sales last month that rose 2.3 percent to 6.29 billion euros, slightly beating expectations.

Its 2014 earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) excluding special items rose about 6 percent to 861 million euros ($984 million), just above analyst consensus for 855 million in a Reuters poll.

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