By Billy Gray

Lysol maker Reckitt Benckiser posted higher third-quarter sales, lifted by consumer spending on self-care, germ-protection and sexual-health products, particularly in emerging markets.

The U.K. consumer-goods company on Wednesday reported sales of 3.61 billion pounds ($4.83 billion), up 4.5% from a year earlier. Sales grew 7% on a like-for-like basis, a closely watched metric that shows performance at constant exchange rates, excluding the impact of acquisitions, disposals and discontinued operations.

Analysts had forecast net revenue of 3.58 billion pounds and like-for-like growth at 6.4%, according to consensus estimates compiled by the company.

Chief Executive Kris Licht said the group had returned to growth in developed markets despite a challenging consumer landscape and continued to deliver growth in emerging markets.

Reckitt is home to products ranging from Vanish stain-removal spray and Dettol disinfectant wipes to Durex condoms and Nurofen pain-relief medication. Self-care, germ-protection, household-care and intimate-wellness products are all part of the group's core operations, which logged 6.7% like-for-like sales growth in the quarter to 2.60 billion pounds.

Self-care and germ-protection products accounted for the lion's share of sales in the core business, though intimate wellness logged 13.5% like-for-like growth, the highest across the unit.

The company said Dettol delivered strong growth in the quarter, particularly in China, India as well as the Middle East, North Africa, Russia and Pakistan region. Lysol recorded high single-digit growth in North America, it said.

Meanwhile, the group said Durex sales also grew strongly in emerging markets, especially in China. Growth for the brand accelerated in Europe with the launch of Durex Intensity across a number of markets, it added.

Sales for the Mead Johnson Nutrition formula business climbed 22% on a like-for-like basis to 529 million pounds. The unit took a hit last year when a tornado damaged an Indiana warehouse, reducing the availability of Reckitt's products.

Reckitt said it continued to expect like-for-like sales growth of between 3% and 4% this year, with growth above 4% for its core operations.

Write to Billy Gray at william.gray@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 22, 2025 07:25 ET (11:25 GMT)

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