Tupperware Brands Corp.'s (TUP) first-quarter net income dropped 20.2% as the company was hurt by cross-sector, broad-based declines in sales and profit.

The personal-products maker reported net income of $25.6 million, or 41 cents a share, up from $32.1 million, or 51 cents a share, a year earlier.

The latest results included certain items impacting comparability. Excluding items, earnings fell to 45 cents a share from 56 cents.

Revenue fell 15% to $462.8 million, but rose 1% in local currency.

In February, Tupperware predicted earnings, excluding items, of 34 cents to 39 cents a share on a sales decline of 12% to 14%. Analysts' latest estimates were for per-share earnings of 34 cents on revenue of $459.5 million, down 15%, according to a poll by Thomson Reuters.

Gross margin rose to 65.4% from 64.2%.

The company, best known for its namesake line of plastic storage containers, reported declines in sales and profit in all segments except for Asia Pacific. Sales fell 13% in the North America Tupperware unit as profit tumbled 33%. In Europe, which provides about a third of the company's revenue, sales and profit fell 18% and 19%, respectively. Asia-Pacific sales grew 2% and profit climbed 1%.

Looking ahead, Tupperware expects second-quarter per-share earnings of 62 cents to 67 cents. Analysts estimated earnings of 50 cents a share on revenue of $459 million.

The company now expects 2009 earnings of $2.16 to $2.26 and a sales decline of 8% to 11%. In February, it forecast earnings of $1.98 to $2.08 on a sales decline of 9% to 11%. Analysts were looking for earnings of $1.96 a share on revenue of $1.89 billion, down 13%.

"As we go into the second quarter and the rest of 2009 we have levers within our control to continue to help drive both our top line sales and our bottom line," said Chief Executive Rick Goings. "With a sales force size advantage of 7%, which was even with the end of 2008, we continue to work on the productivity of our sales force."

Tupperware's shares were flat from closing at $21.36 in after-hours trading. The stock price has fallen about 38% in the past six months but is up about 25% this month.

-By Adam O. Manzor and Kathy Shwiff, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5975; Kathy.Shwiff@dowjones.com