Price rises help boost P&G profit

Procter & Gamble Co, the world's largest consumer-products company, said fourth-quarter profit rose 33 percent after it increased prices to counter higher costs for plastic, energy and paper while the US dollar's decline buoyed overseas sales.

P&G forecast first-quarter earnings per share of 98 cents to $1, which trailed the estimates of some analysts.

Net income in the fourth quarter jumped to $3.02 billion, or 92 cents a share, from $2.27 billion, or 67 cents, a year earlier, the Cincinnati-based maker of Tide laundry detergent and Head & Shoulders shampoo said yesterday in a statement. Sales rose 10 percent to $21.3 billion from $19.3 billion.