Unilever (NYSE:UL) Reaches New 12-Month High After Dividend Announcement

Shares of Unilever PLC (NYSE:UL) reached a new 52-week high on Thursday after the company announced a dividend. The stock traded as high as $73.95 and last traded at $73.5240, with a volume of 8126585 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $73.27.

The newly announced dividend which will be paid on Friday, April 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 27th will be issued a $0.5547 dividend. This represents a $2.22 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.0%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 27th.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have issued reports on UL shares. Morgan Stanley set a $60.10 target price on Unilever and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, December 15th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “sell” rating on shares of Unilever in a research report on Wednesday, December 10th. BNP Paribas Exane set a $71.00 price objective on Unilever and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 8th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft downgraded Unilever from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, February 9th. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded Unilever from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “buy (b-)” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Unilever presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $65.55.

Unilever Stock Performance

The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $66.46 and a 200 day simple moving average of $67.91.

Unilever (NYSE:UL) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 12th. The company reported $0.75 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.75 by ($1.00). The company had revenue of $11.87 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $31.39 billion. Equities analysts forecast that Unilever PLC will post 3.27 earnings per share for the current year.

Unilever News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Unilever this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Unilever announced a €1.5 billion share buyback after reporting margin improvement following the ice‑cream spin-off — a direct capital-return that supports the share price. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Full-year results show net profit up strongly (to €9.47bn for 2025) with underlying sales growth of ~3.5% and volumes +1.5%, signaling improving operating momentum after the strategic reshaping. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Earnings call transcript and presentation provide management commentary on the spin‑off benefits, margin drivers and outlook — useful for parsing how sustainable the margin gains are. Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Company slide deck / presentation is available for detailed segment and cash‑flow metrics that investors will scrutinize for buyback funding and margin sustainability. Slide Deck
• Negative Sentiment: Q4 headline results included a significant EPS miss: reported $0.75 vs. consensus $1.75, which is pressuring near‑term sentiment and raises questions about quarterly earnings volatility. Earnings Summary
• Negative Sentiment: Reported revenue for the quarter (around $11.87bn) came in well below an expected figure cited in reports, amplifying concerns about short‑term top‑line weakness despite full‑year improvement. Earnings Summary

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Unilever

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Brighton Jones LLC raised its position in Unilever by 5.4% during the fourth quarter. Brighton Jones LLC now owns 10,572 shares of the company’s stock valued at $599,000 after acquiring an additional 539 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its position in Unilever by 4.7% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 35,007 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,085,000 after buying an additional 1,587 shares during the period. Yousif Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in Unilever by 8.9% in the second quarter. Yousif Capital Management LLC now owns 27,663 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,692,000 after buying an additional 2,260 shares in the last quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management increased its holdings in Unilever by 2.1% in the second quarter. Ritholtz Wealth Management now owns 36,741 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,247,000 after buying an additional 770 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Harbor Asset Planning Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Unilever in the second quarter worth about $80,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 9.67% of the company’s stock.

About Unilever

Unilever PLC is a global consumer goods company with roots dating back to the early 20th century, formed from the merger of the British firm Lever Brothers and the Dutch company Margarine Unie. The company develops, manufactures and markets a broad portfolio of branded products in personal care, home care and foods and refreshments. Unilever’s corporate structure and listings reflect its long history in both the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and it operates at scale across diverse consumer markets worldwide.

Unilever’s business is organized around major product categories—Beauty & Personal Care, Home Care and Foods & Refreshment—and includes numerous well-known consumer brands across those categories.