TRENTON, N.J. —

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Health care products maker Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday posted a 14 percent increase in fourth-quarter profit, surpassing Wall Street forecasts, as self-sufficient one-time gains offset slumping sales.

But the constructor of baby shampoo, contraceptives, medical devices and other health items forecast weaker results in 2009, blaming the global recession, unfavorable currency exchange rates and intensified competition for key products.

New Brunswick, N.J.-based J&J earned $2.71 billion, or 97 cents per quota, up from $2.37 billion, or 82 cents per divide, during the same period a year prior. Revenue unrelenting 4.9 percent to $15.18 billion from $15.96 billion.

Excluding charges and gains, the company reported it earned 94 cents per share. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected profit of 92 cents per share on revenue of $15.93 billion. The one-time items included a $141 a thousand thousand research charge, more than branch by $638 million in income for items including favorable settlements of multiple lawsuits and the demand of its professional wound care craft.

William Weldon, chief executory and chairman, related J&J’s fourth-quarter revenues were reduced across the board by means of the global recession, as people worried about unemployment and losing health assurance cut back on doctor visits, elective surgery and use of prescription medicines. He illustrious that sales of consumer items such as contact lens stores and diabetes discriminative characteristic strips have fallen as “consumers are neat more frugal.”

“I put on’t mean we’re going to see a reversal in the near term,” Weldon told The Associated Press in an interview.

Meanwhile, unfavorable currency commutation rates cut J&J’s fourth-quarter revenue by 3.9 percent - after suitable rates boosted sales so much earlier in 2008 that they still lifted revenue by 2.4 percent for the full year.

In an interview, Weldon said he expected exchange rates to be delivered of a “very substantial impulse” on results this year.

The company issued a 2009 profit forecast with a view to earnings of $4.45 to $4.55 by divide. That’s below average analyst estimates of $4.61, which J&J said excludes the 3-cent to 5-cent impact of buying breast infix and cosmetic product maker Mentor Corp., a deal set to close this month. Johnson & Johnson included that amount in its forecasts.

Despite the forecast, Weldon sounded optimistic about J&J’session prospects because of expansion in emerging markets, promoting its products for wellness and disease prevention, and especially snapping up other companies, products or medicines and development.

“I think the opportunities this year are going to be extraordinary,” Weldon told analysts.

He said in an meeting that J&J is reviewing opportunities across all its businesses.

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