Unilever on Thursday met expectations for underlying fourth-quarter sales growth after raising prices at a slower rate than in recent quarters, posting an increase in sales volumes for the first time in 10 quarters.

The company said it expects a “modest improvement” in underlying operating margin for the full year, and that underlying sales growth will be within its multiyear range of 3 per cent to 5 per cent.

Unilever, which makes Dove soap and Hellmann's condiments, reported a roughly 5 per cent rise in fourth-quarter underlying sales, meeting analysts' average forecast, a company-provided consensus showed.

Underlying price growth for the fourth quarter was 2.8 per cent, and underlying volumes were up 1.8 per cent, rising for the first time since the second quarter of 2021. The price increase was lower than analysts expected, and sales volumes were up more than they had estimated. – Reuters

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