International Drives C&D Sales, NPA On WIC, Recalls: Health And Wellness Industry News

International consumer product sales soared 12.3% to 143.1m, driven by personal and household care products, Church & Dwight Co. Inc. said in its 2017 first-quarter earnings release on May 5. Consumer product domestic sales showed a 1.8% increase in the January-March period to $659.7m, hampered by declines in Trojan condoms. However, the Ewing, N.J.-based firm expects product launches to spur growth, including growing reported and organic sales 1% to 2% in the current quarter. “Many of our new products are hitting store shelves now, and we intend to get behind them in the coming quarter,” said CEO Matthew Farrell during a same-day earnings briefing. Among new entries is Vitafusion Everyday Energy caffeine-containing gummies. (Also see "Vitafusion Energy, Orajel Line Extensions On Church & Dwight Plate" - HBW Insight, 8 February, 2017.) Total sales for personal care products, separate from household items, grew 2.2% to $265.2m in the quarter as overall net sales increased 3.3% to $877.2m, with organic sales up 2.3% on the strength of global consumer products. C&D's net income reached $131.5m, compared to $113m in the prior-year period.