Unilever Q3 Underlying Sales Up 3.9%

Unilever reported Q3 underlying sales growth of 3.9%—above analyst expectations of 3.7%—with volumes up 1.5%, driven by strong developed-market demand (notably North America), beauty categories and cost‑saving measures. The company said it is sharpening its brand portfolio and plans to spin off its ice‑cream division by the end of the year. Hindustan Unilever posted a near‑5% decline in profit before tax and exceptional items in Q2, with volumes disrupted ahead of India’s GST cuts leaving underlying volume growth flat and EBITDA margin down 90 basis points; profit after tax rose 3.6% due to a one‑time gain and revenue grew about 2% from price increases. Analysts expect FMCG performance to improve from Q3 as consumers benefit from GST cuts, and Hindustan Unilever has been favorably rated with above‑market stock performance year‑to‑date. Unilever Indonesia reported a 10.8% rise in profit for the first nine months, with modest sales improvement reflecting gains from recent structural changes and discipline measures.