Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-02-17
GILLETTE SAFETY
RAZOR IN l92 |
company's Remarkable Show
ing in the Business During
the Past Year.

ltO0tOn FeD. lf.--Wltn almost mon
otonous regularity the Gillette Safety
Razor Co, the dominant manufactures
In its line not only In this country, but
In tho world has been hanging up new
records of earnings. The year recently
closed was no exception. Gillette In
1921 earned before taxes @7.00S.564,
which compares with t6.S03. .407 In 1920,
S6,026,35c In 1919 and 1929 lS6 in
1918. In fact, for each year Of tho past
decade Gillette Safety Razor Co. has
Increased its earning over tho pre-
ceding year. an achievement worthy
Of moro than passing comment when
It Is remembered that tho past ten
years spanned the war AMI postwar
rcadjustment periods.
At the end OF 1921 the company
had outstanding 275.000 shares of
stock. but rs $4,000 shares OF this
capitalization represented 1915 stock
dividend paid IN tho final month OF the
year II is fairer TO figure the earnings
on the 260.000 shares Of stock which
were outstanding for more than II
months. On this basis the company
earned. before taxes, $2S.03 n share
on Its stock. While many industrials
Nttiiit tiiiouku lSZl WIFI dftD ftdfH.
II was tho most prosperous year In
Gillette history, as attested by the pay
ment OF dividends totalliag $l2 IN
cash plus 1o96 stock, the latter divi-
dend having current market value
of moro than SIS.
! No less than the income account, the
balance sheet OF the Gillette Co. is n
revelation. It's total quick liabilities
on Dec. 81 last were s265,s7S in ac-
counts payable. which compares with
notes and accounts payable of moro
than s7,000.Q00 three years ago. Com
pany is also running very strong In
cash, with S2.434,4S7 on hand Dec. 81
last. Inventories and receivables were
slightly reduced during tho year.
The Gillette management In 1921
launched it's most important merchan-
dizlng campaign in connection with
the introduction TO the shaving public
of its New Improved Razor. and ut
the same time decided 70 market the
old type Gillette. with fewer blades
and In different case. at greatly re-
duced prices. The result was the
largest sale OF extra blades In the com
pany's history at 1881 .S61 dozene and
a turnover OF 4,24S.06e razor sets
which latter figure compares with @.
oa0.6l6 sets In 1920 and was exceeded
only in 1918 when moro than three.
quarters OF the sales were to the army
and navy.
The prosperity which ceme TO tn,
Gillette Co. In 1891 has spread owe,
into 1922. January sales were ovei
284,0O0 razor sets and moro than l..
$4,000 dozen extra blades. This com.
pares with $4,000 razor sets and S5T..
600 dozen extra blades in January
1921. January IS usually a period fo-
stock taking by dealers and new order,
are kept down TO a minimum. Nor,
or less talk is heard OF ruinous compe.
tition TO American manufactured prtpd
ucts from cheap German limitations. S,
far as the Gillette Company is con
cerned, an official states that the Jan,
uary sales above noted are the bes
answer TO this fear. and asks tn,
pertinent question, Why hasn't Ger
! man competition hurt Gillette sales fl
Holland, which is Germanys next
door neighbor and a country in which
Gillette has had no patent protection
for years." AS "A matter of fact tn
razors being shipped 10 the Unite,
States by the Germans are lacking
In shaving efficiency. a handicap whicl
: the difference in price as compares
with the Gillette is inadequate TO over
= come.