Unilever (NYSE:UL) Upgraded at DZ Bank

DZ Bank upgraded shares of Unilever (NYSE:UL) from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report report published on Wednesday,Zacks.com reports.

UL has been the subject of a number of other reports. Morgan Stanley set a $60.10 target price on Unilever and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday, December 15th. UBS Group reissued a “sell” rating on shares of Unilever in a report on Wednesday, December 10th. BNP Paribas Exane set a $71.00 target price on Unilever and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Kepler Capital Markets cut Unilever from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 17th. Finally, Argus raised shares of Unilever to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Monday, March 2nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, two have given a Buy rating, four have issued a Hold rating and three have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Unilever has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $65.55.

Unilever Stock Down 0.2%

Unilever stock opened at $58.35 on Wednesday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $66.22 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $66.55. Unilever has a 12 month low of $54.95 and a 12 month high of $74.97.

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

Unilever Cuts Dividend

The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, April 10th. Stockholders of record on Friday, February 27th were issued a $0.5547 dividend. This represents a $2.22 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 3.8%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 27th.

Institutional Trading of Unilever

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Lane Brothers & Co. Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Unilever in the fourth quarter valued at about $956,000. Larry Mathis Financial Planning LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Unilever in the fourth quarter valued at about $437,000. Advisortrust Partners LLC acquired a new position in Unilever during the fourth quarter worth approximately $414,000. Pure Financial Advisors LLC acquired a new position in Unilever during the fourth quarter worth approximately $236,000. Finally, SHP Wealth Management acquired a new position in Unilever during the fourth quarter worth approximately $46,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 9.67% of the company’s stock.

Unilever News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting Unilever this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Unilever agreed to buy U.S. supplements brand Grüns, signaling a clear push into beauty/wellbeing categories and building its nutrition/wellness footprint — a strategic fit for UL’s transition away from mainstream foods. Unilever to buy supplements brand Grüns With A $1.2 Billion Sale To Unilever
• Positive Sentiment: DZ Bank upgraded UL from “hold” to “strong-buy”, which can support the stock by validating management’s strategy and attracting buyers. DZ Bank upgrade / TickerReport
• Positive Sentiment: Analysis arguing the market is undervaluing Unilever’s shift to a higher‑quality HPC business suggests upside if the transition executes — a bullish narrative for longer‑term holders. Unilever: Market Undervaluing Its Transition
• Neutral Sentiment: Management continues to discuss a strategic separation of the foods business as part of the pivot to HPC — a transformational move that creates clarity but also execution risk and transitional costs. Strategic separation transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Competitors are taking note: McCormick’s CEO framed the food deals as competitive on flavour, underscoring that UL’s food moves will invite pushback and intensified competition in certain segments. McCormick CEO on Unilever food deal
• Neutral Sentiment: Comparative analyses versus peers (e.g., Henkel) are circulating, giving investors more context on valuation and margin paths but not delivering a clear consensus. Critical Analysis: Unilever versus Henkel
• Negative Sentiment: Erste Group cut earnings estimates for Unilever, and broader skepticism about near‑term earnings (including the company’s recent quarterly EPS miss) is pressuring the stock — analysts trimming forecasts is a direct headwind for shares. Erste Group Lowers Earnings Estimates

Unilever Company Profile

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.