Unilever PLC stock is back in the spotlight on 17 December 2025 as investors digest a fast-moving mix of portfolio restructuring, governance drama tied to Ben & Jerry’s, and fresh analyst revisions that hint at a slightly slower growth runway after the group’s ice cream separation.
In early trading, Unilever’s U.S.-listed ADR (NYSE: UL) traded around $64.33, after a prior close near $64.94. In London, Unilever shares fell 1.06% on Tuesday to £47.94, lagging the broader FTSE 100 in a risk-off session. [1]
That price action is the surface rippling above a deeper story: Unilever is trying to prove that a “simpler, faster” company—without the cold-chain complexity of ice cream—can deliver stronger growth, higher margins, and cleaner capital allocation. The market is intrigued… and impatient.
Why Unilever stock is moving now
1) The ice cream spin-off is done—and expectations just went up
Unilever’s ice cream business is now operating as The Magnum Ice Cream Company, and the separation has removed a segment that analysts and investors often described as operationally awkward (cold supply chain, heavy seasonality) relative to soap, personal care, and household staples. Reuters notes that the spin-off has turned up pressure on Unilever to show that its renewed emphasis on personal care, beauty, and wellbeing can deliver better growth and profitability. [2]
One key datapoint investors keep circling: Unilever has indicated that—without ice cream—its second-half operating margin should be at least 19.5%, implying a meaningful uplift versus the prior structure. [3]
2) The share consolidation is confusing headlines (but not value)
Following the demerger, Unilever implemented a share consolidation at an 8-for-9 ratio—shareholders received 8 new shares for every 9 existing shares. [4]
This kind of corporate action can make price charts look dramatic even when nothing “economic” changed. Fewer shares outstanding typically means a mechanically higher price per share, while the investor’s overall value is broadly unchanged (all else equal).
There was also a related ISIN change flagged in corporate-action notices after the consolidation. [5]
3) Treasury shares were cancelled—another technical but meaningful detail
Unilever also announced the cancellation of 51,625,153 ordinary shares held in treasury. After the cancellation, Unilever reported 2,181,005,247 ordinary shares in issue, and 2,180,690,335 shares with voting rights. [6]
This doesn’t change day-to-day product sales, but it matters for per-share math, disclosure thresholds, and how investors model EPS and ownership.
The post–ice cream Unilever: a “higher-margin consumer powerhouse” pitch—with execution risk
The bullish case is conceptually simple:
- More focus on faster-growing categories (beauty, personal care, wellbeing)
- Less operational drag from frozen logistics
- More consistent margins and better capital allocation
Reuters highlights that Unilever is leaning into brands such as Vaseline, Liquid I.V., and Nutrafol, pointing to stronger momentum in beauty and wellbeing, particularly in North America. [7]
But “focus” cuts both ways. Once you remove the segment everyone blamed for complexity, investors stop accepting complexity as an excuse.
That’s why the spin-off has been framed not just as a cleanup—but as a test: can Unilever deliver a more predictable engine of volume growth + margin expansion in a market where consumers are picky, promotional intensity is real, and private label keeps sharpening its knives?
Capital allocation: Unilever’s M&A budget shifts attention to the U.S.
One of the most market-relevant headlines this month: Unilever said it is setting aside roughly €1.5 billion per year for M&A, with a strong focus on the United States, according to Reuters reporting of CEO Fernando Fernandez’s comments at a JPMorgan-hosted event. [8]
That matters for the stock because it shapes the next phase of the Unilever story:
- If Unilever buys well, it can accelerate growth in premium personal care/wellness where category growth is structurally higher.
- If it overpays—or integrates poorly—the market will punish the “consumer staples” multiple.
Separately, an Investing.com summary of the same strategic direction also notes management’s stance on capital returns: when excess cash exists, the company doesn’t want to sit on it, signaling continued openness to share buybacks. [9]
Ben & Jerry’s governance turmoil still matters—even after the separation
If you thought the spin-off would instantly remove the Ben & Jerry’s headlines from Unilever’s orbit, the reality is messier.
Reuters reported that Ben & Jerry’s ousted the chair of its independent board as part of new governance practices that included term limits. [10] This comes amid long-running tensions around the brand’s independence and activism-related disputes.
And in a separate analyst note, TD Cowen flagged that Jerry Greenfield (Ben & Jerry’s co-founder) resigned, citing concerns about Unilever’s influence on the brand’s independence. [11]
Why does this still matter for Unilever shareholders?
- Unilever is retaining a 19.9% stake in the spun-off ice cream business. [12]
- Reuters also reported Unilever plans to exit that stake within five years, meaning the eventual value (and headline risk) of that stake remains relevant until the exit happens. [13]
So while Unilever is “less exposed” than before, investors still have to treat this as a lingering variable—especially if governance disputes affect the ice cream company’s valuation or strategic flexibility.
Analyst forecasts and price targets: what the Street expects as of 17.12.2025
Unilever’s own published analyst consensus for FY 2025
Unilever publishes a voluntary sell-side consensus snapshot ahead of results. In its 13 October 2025 consensus collection, the average projections for Full Year 2025 included:
- Underlying sales growth:3.7%
- Underlying operating margin:18.9%
- Underlying EPS:€2.98
- Dividend:€1.85 (full-year consensus figure) [14]
Unilever also lists an events calendar showing Q4 and Full-Year 2025 Results on 12 February 2026, with CAGNY Conference 2026 on 17 February 2026—two obvious catalysts for guidance and narrative-setting. [15]
TD Cowen trims its target and dials down growth expectations
On the more immediate “today” front, TD Cowen lowered its Unilever price target to $70 (from $71) while maintaining a Buy rating, citing a weaker growth outlook and calling out India as a key swing factor after a GST-related revision. TD Cowen also reduced its FY2026 growth forecast to 3.8% (from 4.2%), excluding the ice cream division. [16]
That’s not a thesis-breaker—but it’s a reminder that even a “defensive” global staples giant can be meaningfully rerated on small shifts in expected organic growth.
UBS stays cautious
UBS cut its price target to 4,440 GBp (from 4,635 GBp) and kept a Sell rating, according to TheFly reporting carried by TipRanks. [17]
Other broker actions in the mix
A London broker-roundup published via Alliance News also noted:
- DZ Bank raising Unilever’s target to 5,200p (from 5,150p) with a Buy view
- UBS cutting its target to 4,440p with a Sell view [18]
The spread between targets is telling: the market doesn’t appear confused about what Unilever is (a global consumer staples leader), but it’s divided on what Unilever can become (a faster-growing, higher-margin “beauty + wellbeing” compounder).
The Magnum listing: what it signaled to markets
On the demerger mechanics, Reuters reported that Magnum began trading in Amsterdam with pricing that implied a multi-billion-dollar valuation, and that the broader European market saw consumer staples weigh on indices the day the separation hit tape—Unilever fell sharply on 8 December as investors recalibrated. [19]
Reuters also warned of a technical factor for Magnum shares: the stock would not be eligible for certain FTSE indices, and the company cautioned that index-tracking flows could create downward pressure after listing. [20]
For Unilever investors, this is relevant because Unilever’s retained stake has an eventual exit path—and exits tend to go better when the market is calm and liquid.
Dividends: still part of the Unilever stock appeal
Unilever remains a dividend-focused holding for many portfolios. The company’s dividend history page shows quarterly payments across currencies (GBP/EUR/USD), including Q2 2025 dividends with payment dates in September 2025. [21]
More importantly for forward-looking models, Unilever’s own published sell-side consensus projected a FY 2025 dividend of €1.85 (average estimate). [22]
The bigger context: consumer-goods leadership churn and impatience from boards
One extra wrinkle on 17 December: Reuters ran an analysis on how consumer goods companies have been cycling CEOs faster amid sluggish growth and the need to connect with younger shoppers, naming Unilever among the companies that changed leadership this year. [23]
For Unilever stock, that backdrop matters because the “margin uplift + growth focus” story isn’t happening in a vacuum—it’s happening in a sector where boards are visibly less willing to wait.
Bottom line for Unilever stock on 17 December 2025
Unilever is entering 2026 with a cleaner structure and a clearer story, but also fewer places to hide.
What investors will likely watch next:
- Can Unilever sustain mid-single-digit underlying sales growth while improving volumes, not just pricing?
- Does margin improvement (post–ice cream) translate into durable EPS growth, not just a one-time step-up?
- Will M&A be disciplined—and will buybacks remain meaningful if cash generation stays strong?
- Does the residual Ben & Jerry’s governance noise fade as Unilever works toward exiting its retained stake?
The next major proving ground is close: Full-Year 2025 results on 12 February 2026, followed by the CAGNY conference days later—prime territory for guidance, capital allocation signals, and (inevitably) investor judgment. [24]
References
1. www.marketwatch.com, 2. www.reuters.com, 3. www.reuters.com, 4. www.reuters.com, 5. www.eurex.com, 6. www.londonstockexchange.com, 7. www.reuters.com, 8. www.reuters.com, 9. www.investing.com, 10. www.reuters.com, 11. www.investing.com, 12. www.reuters.com, 13. www.reuters.com, 14. www.unilever.com, 15. www.unilever.com, 16. www.investing.com, 17. www.tipranks.com, 18. www.sharesmagazine.co.uk, 19. www.reuters.com, 20. www.reuters.com, 21. www.unilever.com, 22. www.unilever.com, 23. www.reuters.com, 24. www.unilever.com
