Reckitt Benckiser PLC's (RB.LN) posted another strong set of results for its fourth quarter Wednesday and unlike rival Unilever PLC (UN UL), forecast another year of robust growth in 2009.

The household cleaning and personal care products maker said net profit in the three months to Dec. 31 was GBP393 million, up from GBP289 million a year earlier. Sales were GBP1.83 billion, up 33%. Stripping out the effect of acquisitions and currency movements, fourth-quarter sales were up 8%, lower than the 10% rise seen in the previous quarter but ahead of expectations.

The maker of a products such as Lysol, Clearasil, Cillit Bang and Senokot also set growth targets for 2009. Stripping out currency fluctuations, it is targeting sales growth of 4% and a rise in post-tax profit before exceptional items of between 8% and 10%. The comparable figures for 2008 are growth of 13% and 12%, respectively.

The results were ahead of expectations and the 2009 targets were higher than many in the market had expected. By 0850 GMT, the company's shares were up 118 pence, or 4.5%, on the day at 2740 pence, and up 3.7% from year-ago levels.

While the company is forecasting a slowdown in its growth rates, it is at least providing forecasts. Anglo-Dutch rival Unilever PLC (UN UL) last week scrapped its sales and margin targets and refused to provide any outlook for 2009 in the face of the economic uncertainty.

Reckitt has a habit in recent years of setting sales growth targets at the start of the year only to beat them once the year is complete. Last year's underlying sales growth of 10% compares with an original target of 6%-to-7%. "We typically have achieved our targets in the past," said Becht, adding: "if we weren't confident we wouldn't have come out with targets."

While Unilever's sales growth was not far short of Reckitt's for 2008, it came entirely from price increases, with volumes actually falling. These sharp price rises have led to tensions with retailers, with Belgian grocer Delhaize SA (DEG) Tuesday removing 300 Unilever products from its shelves saying they are priced too high.

Reckitt's prices increased by no more than 2% to 3% in 2009 and there are no plans to raise them further, said Becht.

The company's marketing spend fell to 10.6% of net revenue in the fourth quarter, compared with 12.4% for the year. Becht said this was a result of lower prices for advertising space.

Reckitt Benckiser raised its final dividend by 60% to 48 pence, moving the company on to a full-year dividend payout ratio of 50% from 40%.

The company has also decided not to buy back any shares in 2009, intending instead to pay down debt - a move described by analysts as sensible in the current environment.

Company Web site: www.reckittbenckiser.com

-By Michael Carolan, Dow Jones Newswires; 44-20-7842-9278; michael.carolan@dowjones.com