Procter & Gamble reported second-quarter earnings yesterday that rose
12 percent. Net income was $2.04 billion, compared with $1.82 billion
a year earlier. Sales in the quarter, which ended Dec. 31, rose 9.3
percent, to $14.45 billion.

In October, Gillette reported earnings of $475 million in the third
quarter, compared with $416 million last year. Over all, Gillette's
quarterly sales reached $2.69 billion, up from $2.4 billion the year
before.