Dove and Axe maker cited stronger volumes and pricing, while it now expects 2026 underlying sales growth within its 4%-6% multi-year range rather than the bottom end.
Unilever reported second-quarter underlying sales growth of 5.8%, beating analysts' average expectation of 4.3%, as higher volumes and prices lifted demand for its home care and beauty brands. The maker of Dove soap and Axe deodorant said consumers continued to favor established household names despite uncertainty linked to the Iran war. The company also raised its 2026 outlook, saying it now expects underlying sales growth to fall within its multi-year forecast range of 4%-6%, up from its earlier view that growth would come in at the bottom end of that range. Unilever has been shifting toward beauty and well-being brands under CEO Fernando Fernandez, who was appointed last year to speed up its turnaround strategy. The Middle East conflict has added to corporate costs, with companies passing some of those increases on to fiscally restrained consumers. Unilever also said it is merging its food business with spice maker McCormick.