Unilever’s Q2 results see shares tumble

Published: 31-Jul-2008

Unilever, the world’s third largest consumer goods group and maker of Sunsilk and Dove, has reported a 6.8% rise in second-quarter 2008 sales. However, with this increase based on price rises not volumes, second-quarter volumes being flat and a 19% slump in net profit, the Dutch giant also saw shares tumble.


Unilever, the world’s third largest consumer goods group and maker of Sunsilk and Dove, has reported a 6.8% rise in second-quarter 2008 sales. However, with this increase based on price rises not volumes, second-quarter volumes being flat and a 19% slump in net profit, the Dutch giant also saw shares tumble.

Unilever’s net figure for the quarter fell to €978m from €1.144bn at the same time last year. While sales increased 6.8%, this showed a slowdown from 7.2% in the first quarter 2008, and came as prices increased by 7.4%. In addition, Unilever’s sales volumes were down in Western Europe and emerging markets displayed slower growth. Today saw shares fall 7.2% to just £14.02 by 0930 GMT.

In spite of this, chief executive, Unilever, Patrick Cescau credited the company’s second quarter as “a good performance in a challenging environment”.

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