Swine flu lifts sales of Purell sanitizer, Clorox wipes, other consumer products
Filed under: Company News, Healthcare
As my husband was recently struggling to sleep while battling his swine flu symptoms -- I wish I could get one of those test kits to determine for sure what he has -- I made a shopping list. I added disinfectant wipes after swabbing down the phone and remote controls he used. Also on the list went bleach after noticing I was low when I cleaned the bathroom. Surgical masks and Purell -- the bottle was nearly half empty I realized in alarm -- made it on too, after I reckoned it was impossible to keep a wide enough berth (six feet is recommended distance) from someone with whom I share a house. I'm not the only one who's got swine flu prevention on the brain. This scenario is playing out all over the country in households with sick persons, or just those preparing for the likely event that someone could get infected. Some 63 percent of the population could catch the virus by year's end. The happy consequence, of course, is that several consumer product companies are seeing sales and bottom-line growth as a result. Here's a run-down of some of the more prominent beneficiaries:
Purell is perhaps the most obvious product to see growing sales. Ohio-based Gojo Industries invented Purell, the top-selling hand sanitizer. DailyFinance's Alex Salkever recently noted how Purell, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), has seen impressive revenue growth. And according to Chicago-based Information Resources Inc., overall hand sanitizer sales jumped 17 percent this year. In August, they jumped 50 percent over August of 2008.
Clorox (CLX), the maker of sanitary wipes, cleaning supplies such as bleach and Brita water filter, saw its first quarter profit grow 23 percent. Bleach and wipes accounted for about 30 percent of sales. The company hiked its fiscal year forecast as a result.
Ecolab (ECL) saw strong demand for sanitizer in its latest quarter. Its U.S. Cleaning & Sanitizing operating income rose 17 percent and it said it saw a significant increase in orders for the sanitizing gel in the third quarter.
3M (MMM) said demand is rising for its respiratory masks. Its third quarter results benefited from strong sales of health-care products, especially in Asia. Revenue from products like face masks jumped 4.7 percent to $1.1 billion. Earnings beat analyst projections. 3M estimates demand related to swine flu fears added between $80 million to $100 million to third-quarter sales. The company said it was ramping up its capacity to make more face masks.
Kimberly-Clark (KMB) also reported increased sales of face masks. The company said that "approximately 40 percent of the total gain in health care volumes in the quarter was attributable to increased global demand for face masks as a result of the H1N1 flu virus." That gain helped boost third-quarter profit by 41 percent. The Dallas-based company also hiked the prices of Kleenex and Huggies diapers.
While not exactly consumer products companies, Cardinal Health (CAH) and Alpha Pro Tech (APT) also make N95 surgical masks. Another company positively affected by H1N1 is Walgreen (WAG), which saw its sales rise, getting a boost from flu vaccinations at its pharmacies. Finally, Quest Dianostics (DGX) could see sales boost after the FDA issued emergency use auhorization for its H1N1 diagnostics kit made on 3M equipment.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
11-05-2009 @ 10:37AM
Kevin Finnerty said...
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), has seen impressive revenue growth.....So why are they laying off 7% of their labor force??
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11-06-2009 @ 1:25PM
blackwater ken said...
J&J are laying off American employees because of outsourcing. Have you noticed that Band Aids are now made in Brazil ??
11-05-2009 @ 10:37AM
cindy said...
i think all this anti germ craze isn't that great, the germs will find a way to become immune to all this shit. I mean I use the clorox wipes for cleaning the table, floor and kitchen counters, phones and keyboards/mous. Instead of using that purell crap I just wash my hands(with soap), bathe and take a vitam c supplement. a little exposure to germs can build up your immune system to fight off germs. and if someone coughs with their mouth open give them a dirty look, if they're still oblivious get your ass up and move away lol
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11-05-2009 @ 12:29PM
mandi said...
finally someone who isnt a complete moron... i just got over swine flu and it wasnt the worst thing in the world... just take care of yourselvesno reason to make the hand sanatizer companies big money because were scared of something as simple as the FLU!! come on the flu as been around forever... i think ive had flu what? maybe twice in my entire life... no reason for people to freak out and go on shopping sprees for surgical masks and purell my god all youre doing is making fools out of yourselves wash your hands and eat right, take your vitamins and everything will be ok... oh and btw... vitamin C.... thats how i got over the swine flu... worked wonders... what do ya know... natural stuff works.....
11-05-2009 @ 10:54AM
Don Peterson said...
I live in a small town(population 4500) in Kansas. Both the local drug store and grocery store normally carry fever thermomitors. They are both sold out.
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11-05-2009 @ 11:14AM
bassfishga said...
I am clear. The company I work for makes labels that go on hand sanitizer, Antibacterial soap, bleaches and many cleaning product. We have been busy the past few months.
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11-05-2009 @ 11:27AM
Lila said...
We used hand sanitizers-6 bottles, washed our hands in hot hot water, stayed away from crowds, and got flu shots. My son and I still got the H1N1 and were very very sick for 3 weeks. I'm still not totally fine. I don't think anything can help with this flu except avoid going out.
We didn't worry about it too much until we got sick and thought we were dying. Its a rough flu!
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11-05-2009 @ 4:08PM
MG said...
HEY !!!!!!!!!!! THIS IS AN ADVERTISING-------- WE JUST HAVE TO DUCK AND HOPE FOR THE BEST--AFTER WE TRIED THE BEST..SO--REST..HUMM I MADE A RYHM---
11-05-2009 @ 11:30AM
bob said...
this swine flu got everybody paranoid. simple soap can easily wash your hands and smells way better and feels less grimy then the hand sanittizer(or how ever its spelled) does. nobody makes a big hype over the normal flu whichs kills more then swine flu a year bu tno the media has to get everybody scared.
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11-05-2009 @ 12:41PM
JUNE said...
I AGREE PARANOID AND I THINK ITS ALL BECAUSE AROUND HERE DOCTORS ARE TREATING EVERYONE AS IF THEY HAVE THE SWINE FLU AND NOT EVEN TESTING THEM SO IT IS SCARING PEOPLE. I WORK A RETAIL STORE AND YES STUFF TO DISINFECT WITH IS SALING LIKE CRAZY. I ALSO HEARD THAT ONCE YOU USE PURRELL ON HANDS 3 TIMES IT DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD UNLESS YOU WASH YOUR HAND BEFORE USING AGAIN. WHEN MY KIDS WAS LITTLE WE DIDN'T HAVE ALL THAT STUFF WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF SOAP AND WATER
11-05-2009 @ 11:37AM
Porter said...
So much for your "WONDERFULL" modern country where it is almost impossible to get the swine flue shot these days?
Goldmann Sachs managed to get it without any lines...for all.. when will you ever learn that your country does NOT care about nobody.... unless they got big money? what is so
hard to swallow there? missplaced love for country? or the usual brainwashing...not prell washing?
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11-05-2009 @ 11:43AM
werst said...
I agree...when wall street and goldmann sachs get's the vacine before the kid's in school...there is something very wrong with our country...and it's called GREED...MONEY....and NOBODY care's.
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11-06-2009 @ 4:31AM
100percentnatural said...
We have a 100% Alcohol free hand gel that kills Bacterias 99.999 and is 100% natural, Very kind to skin as well as killing MRSA E-Coli C-Diff etc.
Be safe and kind to your skin, Alcohol gel's drys skin out makes the skin crack and allows infections to enter the skin.
Send any enquire to info@searchforsupply.com
Reply
11-05-2009 @ 11:49AM
judy said...
SURE HOPE THIS GETS POSTED MOST OF TIME IT DOES NOT.. While wiping hands with santa wipes and antibacterial sprays take another 2 seconds and wipe around and uder your nise and around your mouth. Although my grand did not get sick he did test positive for H1N1 virus and Docter told daughter to wipe around nose and mouth wiht anything antibacterial. 5 days later no one else in family tested positive.Good Luck and God bless
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11-05-2009 @ 12:04PM
Lisa Colwell said...
I have seen a few confirmed case's also in children that aren't as severe as they are stating , But have also seen kids that have showed neg on the H1N1 that are sicker then a dog. Alot of ppl are getting false neg results with this test they are doing that confirms or doesn't in 1 day.. Beware parents if anyone you know is tested make sure it is the one that actually takes a wk . an if the 1 day one shows a neg an your child is sick treat it like it was swine flu . Schools are also allowing children back in 1 or 2 days later in parts of PA I live in even with a confirmed diagnosis which is crap they need to confine them for at least a wk. Kids cough all over everything, Even when they know the cough in elbow rule.
11-05-2009 @ 1:31PM
Fabricio said...
11-05-2009 @ 11:32AM
iosborne said...
Hello....selfcentered American's....what does this blog have to do with Michelle Obama? Will you selfabsorbed people in this country ever learn not to mix everything with Politic's
and your evil ....american hate?
Reply
Iosborn - remember that ignorance and hatred dominate these boards. Those people use words to terrorize others..
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11-05-2009 @ 11:52AM
mikemaj82 said...
Lol Purell doesn't protect against swine flu. wow. if your body doesn't have a strong immune system, you're gonna get it, it's as simple as that. drink OJ, take your vitamins, and eat healthy.
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11-05-2009 @ 11:55AM
CALIFJUDY2008 said...
isoborne--IF YOU DONT LIKE AMERICAN POST DONT READ THEM--- OH HONEY AND I POST ON AMERICAN ON LINE
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11-05-2009 @ 12:00PM
toby said...
There is not a shortage. Plenty of Prell and products like that in stores. I think this is a Drug Company plot for a panic
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11-05-2009 @ 12:03PM
gr8bsn said...
Of course there isn't a shortage. This stuff is nothing more than jellied rubbing alcohol!