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Unilever (Q1 Update): guidance maintained

First-quarter sales were slightly better than expected, and Unilever has reiterated full-year guidance.
Unilever

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Prices delayed by at least 15 minutes

Unilever’s reported first-quarter sales of €12.6bn, reflecting underlying growth of 3.8% (3.6% expected). The uplift was driven by a 2.9% increase in volumes, with higher prices making up the remainder. Growth was broad-based across all business divisions.

By region, Emerging Markets continued to grow at a faster pace than Developed Markets, driven by a strong performance in India.

Full-year guidance remains unchanged, with underlying sales growth expected to be toward the lower end of its 4-6% mid-term target level.

A quarterly dividend of €0.4664 per share was announced, up 3.0%. A new €1.5bn share buyback programme begins today and is expected to complete by 6 July 2026.

The shares rose 1.5% in early trading.

Our view

HL view to follow.

Unilever key facts

All ratios are sourced from LSEG Datastream, based on previous day’s closing values. Please remember yields are variable and not a reliable indicator of future income. Keep in mind key figures shouldn’t be looked at on their own – it’s important to understand the big picture.

This article is original Hargreaves Lansdown content, published by Hargreaves Lansdown. It was correct as at the date of publication, and our views may have changed since then. Unless otherwise stated estimates, including prospective yields, are a consensus of analyst forecasts provided by LSEG. These estimates are not a reliable indicator of future performance. Yields are variable and not guaranteed. Investments rise and fall in value so investors could make a loss.

This article is not advice or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any investment. No view is given on the present or future value or price of any investment, and investors should form their own view on any proposed investment.

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Written by
Aarin Chiekrie
Aarin Chiekrie
Equity Analyst

Aarin is a member of the Equity Research team and a CFA Charterholder. Alongside our other analysts, he provides regular research and analysis on individual companies and wider sectors. Having a keen interest in global economics, he knows how macro-events can impact individual companies.

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Article history
Published: 30th April 2026