In Brief: Selfcare supplement sales

Selfcare supplement sales: Nine dietary supplements acquired from American Home Products a year ago, including Stresstabs, Ferro-Sequels, Posture, Protegra, Allbee and Z-Bec, posted combined sales of $22.8 mil. in 1997, down slightly from $24 mil. in 1996, the company reports in a recent Securities & Exchange Commission filing. Selfcare has redesigned the products' packaging to be more contemporary looking, a move away from the former "clinical" appearance. The firm had been running print, TV and radio ads for Stresstabs and Posture created by New York City-based Warwick Baker O'Neill, with print advertising planned for Protegra later this year, the firm said. In 1997, Selfcare, which also markets medical devices, had sales of $50.9 mil. compared to $14.1 mil. in 1996; the company had a net loss of $20 mil. compared to a loss of $9.2 mil. in 1996. Selfcare is "particularly pleased with the performance of our Stresstabs product....Gross margins for our nutritional line ran in excess of 60%," the firm said March 16...