Nestle Lifts 2022 Organic Sales Outlook; Sets Out 2025 Targets

By Giulia Petroni

Nestle SA has lifted its full-year organic sales-growth guidance and outlined targets for 2025 ahead of its investor seminar on Tuesday.

The Swiss packaged-foods giant said it now expects sales to grow organically between 8% and 8.5% from previous expectations of around 8%. The underlying trading operating profit margin is still seen at around 17%.

By 2025, it expects to return to an underlying trading operating profit margin in the range of 17.5% to 18.5%, following the margin impact of cost inflation in 2021 and 2022.

Annual underlying earnings-per-share growth is seen between 6% and 10% in constant currency over the 2022-25 period, Nestle said. The company aims for free cash flow toward 12% of sales, and return on invested capital of 15% by 2025.

In terms of portfolio management, it said it will explore strategic options for peanut allergy treatment Palforzia, following slower than expected adoption by patients and heathcare professionals. The review should be completed in the first half of next year.

Nestle said the health-science business will focus more on consumer care and medical nutrition.

The company confirmed its program to repurchase 20 billion Swiss francs ($21.14 billion) of its shares between 2022 and 2024 and said it aims to keep increasing its dividend year on year.

Write to Giulia Petroni at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 29, 2022 02:04 ET (07:04 GMT)

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