London, Feb 8, 2026, 08:34 GMT — Trading wrapped up; the market is closed.
- Unilever shares closed unchanged on Friday, finishing at 5,250 pence apiece.
- Full-year numbers land Feb. 12, the first set since the ice cream demerger.
- Investors are holding out for specifics on 2026 sales growth targets, with a close eye on any fresh margin and cost-saving updates too.
Unilever closed flat at 5,250 pence after trading between 5,210 and 5,298 pence over the day. Volume landed at about 3.2 million shares.
With London markets shuttered for the weekend, attention swings to Unilever’s full-year results set for Thursday. It’s the first report since the spinoff of the ice cream unit, which muddies any straightforward year-on-year comparisons.
Short-term noise is mostly absent from the stock, so attention lands directly on these results. The outcome could reignite the argument over Unilever’s ability to drive growth through volumes instead of relying on price hikes alone. Investors also want sharper clues on margins, plus just how much cash the slimmed-down company will return to shareholders.
Aarin Chiekrie, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, pointed out the market’s expecting total sales to fall about 11% to 54.2 billion euros, factoring in the spin-off. “More important will be the outlook for 2026,” he wrote, zeroing in on Unilever’s 4% to 6% medium-term sales growth target and the anticipated lift from heavier ad and brand investment. Hargreaves Lansdown
Unilever is set to publish its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results on Feb. 12, with a webcast scheduled for 0800 UK time. CEO Fernando Fernandez will be presenting at the CAGNY conference on Feb. 17.
Unilever, in its latest pre-close aide-memoire, is sticking with a forecast for underlying sales growth of 3% to 5% for all of 2025. Fourth-quarter underlying volume, the company says, should match or beat the 1.7% gain from Q3. On margins, Unilever is targeting an underlying operating margin of at least 19.5% for the back half.
Unilever tracks “real” growth by looking at underlying sales—a mix of volume and price. The headline contraction probably won’t draw much focus this time. Traders are zeroed in on volume, watching for signs of resilience as the company keeps investing heavily in its brands.
Cost cuts, tweaks to pricing, and how execs talk up demand—familiar themes. Growth pops up in newer markets, while mature ones still lag.
Still, risk cuts both ways. If volumes slip, or if heavier promos kick in, and margins end up propped by cost cuts rather than actual sales, the mood sours quickly — especially with the demerger throwing off year-on-year comparisons and mixing things up further.
