Unilever PLC ((UL)), a British consumer goods company in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, jumped to all-time highs after posting better than expected earnings results for the last quarter of 2012.

Unilever, producer of brands such as Axe, Dove, Vaseline, Lipton, Hellman’s, and Knorr, earlier reported underlying sales growth of 6.9 percent for 2012, beating forecasts of 6.5 percent. Sales were propelled by double-digit growth (11.4%) in emerging markets, its largest market in 2012. Other highlights include:

Not only did the company achieve healthy sales figures for the year, it also outperformed in the bottomline, all while substantially increasing profit margins. Unilever has done a masterful job countering rising commodity prices and weaker demand at its home base by further expanding into developing and emerging markets, increasing sales of higher margin products, hiking prices, and cutting costs, and all of this within the context of a low-growth, highly competitive environment under tough worldwide economic conditions. With a substantial amount of cash on hand ($3.71 Billion), a healthy dividend yield (currently 3.2%), and strong cash flow numbers, Unilever seems poised to continue on its dominate run as one of the world’s preeminent consumer goods producers.

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