Tupperware beauty sales and profits up although US suffered

The company as a whole, which includes the Tupperware brand of plastic containers, recorded sales of $655m for the fourth quarter ending December 25 in comparison to $626m for the same period in 2009.

However, net income fell for the period from $84.1m in 2009 to $80.7m in 2010.

The company’s beauty business, which accounts for approximately a third of the annual revenue, is split into Beauty North America, which includes Fuller Mexico and the US operations of BeautiContol, and Beauty Other.

US​ sales suffer​

Beauty North America recorded sales of $109.3m for the fourth quarter, up 5 percent in reported and 1 percent in local currencies, although this was driven by the company’s operations in Mexico.

While Fuller Mexico sales were up 4 percent (10 percent reported), BeautiControl experienced a 9 percent drop in sales. Although negative, Tupperware did say that these results were an improvement on the double digit losses that were recorded earlier in the year.

Profit for the segment, however did improve, coming in at $19.5m in comparison to $15.4m in the same period last year, which the company said was due to improved cost structures in both units.

Beauty Other covers operations in countries such as Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina and the Philippines and sales in this segment were up 16 percent in local currencies (6 percent in reported), with Brazil highlighted as a star performer.

Profit for this segment was up significantly on last year’s figures; although, the company explained last year the company had undergone significant expenses related to the re-evaluation of the Venezuelan currency.

Overall company sales and profit for the full year were both up on 2009’s figures, with sales coming in at $2.3bn compared to $2.13bn, and profit at $395m in comparison to $331.9m.