London, Feb 6, 2026, 08:59 GMT — Regular session
- Unilever shares slipped 0.5% in early London trading, pulling back from Thursday’s 12-month peak
- A U.S. filing reveals the issuance of 4.2 million new shares tied to employee stock awards
- Attention shifts to Unilever’s full-year results due Feb. 12, followed by an investor conference slot on Feb. 17
Unilever shares (ULVR) slipped 0.5% to 5,223 pence in early London trade on Friday, pulling back from a 12-month peak hit the day before. The stock started the session at 5,235 pence and moved between 5,219 and 5,255 pence. It reached a 12-month high of 5,278 pence on Feb. 5 and a low of 4,123 pence over the past year, based on prices delayed by 15 minutes. (London South East)
The pullback comes as investors balance a bid for defensive consumer staples with a string of catalysts that might rapidly shift the stock’s value.
Unilever is set to report next week, but risk appetite is fraying after concerns over AI build-out costs dragged stocks down. Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial, noted that “investors today are starting to turn more defensive in their positioning” as momentum stalls. (Reuters)
Late Thursday, Unilever disclosed in a regulatory filing that it issued and admitted 4.2 million new ordinary shares to cover vesting in employee share schemes. This brings the total admitted shares to 2,185,205,247. (SEC)
Issuances linked to employee stock awards are standard practice among big multinationals. They do push the share count up slightly, which can attract extra scrutiny when the stock is trading near its highs.
London’s mood has shifted to caution after the Bank of England kept rates steady at 3.75%, with a narrow 5-4 vote. The central bank hinted rate cuts could come if inflation drops as expected. “It’s now merely a matter of timing as to when the MPC (Monetary Policy Committee) will deliver further easing,” said Matthew Ryan, head of market strategy at Ebury. (Reuters)
Unilever, known worldwide for Dove soap and Hellmann’s condiments, will probably focus more on its own data around demand, pricing, and margins than on daily index fluctuations when making its next moves.
Unilever will publish its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results on Feb. 12, with a follow-up presentation at the CAGNY Conference set for Feb. 17. (Unilever)
The lead-up to the report works both ways. If there’s any sign shoppers are switching to cheaper options or cost pressures are resurfacing, it could weigh on a stock that’s already rallied ahead of the print.
