Procter & Gamble Co., the nation's second largest advertiser, Wednesday reported double-digit earnings growth for the fourth quarter of 2003, surpassing its guidance to Wall Street analysts. "The
strong results in the first half of the year, despite widespread competitive activity, confirm our belief that we have the right strategies to deliver sustainable growth over the long term," said
Chairman-CEO A. G. Lafley. P&G's fourth quarter earnings rose 22 percent to $1.818 billion and the packaged goods marketer projected "high-single digit" growth for the first quarter of 2004.