By Annie Gasparro

Mondelez International Inc. said it gained ground on competitors last year, as shoppers spending time at home during the pandemic bought more of its cookies and snacks.

The Chicago-based maker of Oreos and Triscuits said Thursday that comparable sales rose 3.2% annually in the fourth quarter, in line with expectations. Sales growth by that measure moderated somewhat from earlier in the pandemic, especially in North America. Shares were steady after hours at $57.34.

"We enter 2021 in a strong position financially and in the marketplace," said Chief Executive Dirk Van de Put in a statement.

Consumers of all income levels are spending more for name brands during the pandemic, according to market-research firm IRI. Fewer options for leisure and dining out are giving people more to spend on indulgent grocery items, the firm said.

Mondelez has previously said it plans to spend more on marketing this year to maintain the unusually strong sales growth brought on by the pandemic for many of its products in the U.S.

The company is focusing more on digital advertising rather than television to reach a younger, more diverse audience.

While the pandemic has fueled its sales in North America, Mondelez has struggled in emerging markets. Its business in countries such as Brazil and India have been hit by strict coronavirus-related lockdowns there. The company's comparable sales in emerging markets increased 4.1% in the fourth quarter, compared with a 1.7% rise in the first three quarters of last year.

Mondelez said revenue in the fourth quarter rose 5.6% to $7.3 billion. It reported net income of $1.16 billion and an adjusted profit of 67 cents per share.

Write to Annie Gasparro at annie.gasparro@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

01-28-21 1717ET