London, Jan 17, 2026, 08:38 GMT — Market closed
- Unilever shares ended Friday 0.4% lower, closing at 4,761.5 pence
- Investors are eyeing next month’s earnings for clues on volume and margins
- Company this week pointed to the U.S. as a key growth driver
Unilever’s shares edged lower ahead of the weekend, finishing Friday down 0.4% at 4,761.5 pence. The stock fluctuated between 4,750.5 and 4,799.0 pence on a turnover of roughly 3.3 million shares. 1
With markets closed, focus moves beyond Friday’s modest move to Unilever’s next update on demand and pricing. Investors want to know if growth stems from higher sales volumes or just increased prices.
That’s important now since consumer-staples stocks have served as a safe haven during the rally earlier this year. With the broader market near its highs and earnings season underway, there’s less wiggle room for mistakes.
In London, the FTSE 100 closed almost flat on Friday, weighed down by a drop in mining shares following a record high the previous session. 2
Stocks across Europe slowed as the weekend approached. Michael Field, Morningstar’s chief European equity strategist, noted that “European equities aren’t cheap anymore, but they’re not expensive either,” highlighting a shrinking buffer after recent gains. 3
Unilever, owner of brands from Dove to Hellmann’s, aimed to steer attention toward execution. On its website this week, Unilever USA president Herrish Patel noted: “98% of American households have purchased a Unilever product in the last year.” 4
The company singled out the U.S. as a growth driver, citing quicker product rollouts and tighter collaboration with retailers. It also highlighted “premiumisation,” encouraging shoppers to opt for pricier items as a way to boost sales without depending only on price hikes.
Investors will be looking for concrete data next: like-for-like sales growth, which Unilever favors since it excludes currency effects and major one-offs. They’ll also want to see the volume contribution and whether margins can withstand a potential rise in promotions.
But the situation works both ways. Should shoppers continue trading down, or if rising costs force the group to rely more on discounting to hold market share, the stock’s defensive edge could vanish fast—especially since valuations across Europe no longer seem cheap.
Unilever’s upcoming fourth-quarter and full-year earnings, set for Feb. 12, stand out as the next major trigger. The company will then speak at the CAGNY Conference on Feb. 17. 5
