London, Feb 24, 2026, 07:49 GMT — Premarket
- Unilever shares were seen unchanged at 5,462p before trading kicked off in London, following a 1.5% gain on Monday.
- This week marks the ex-dividend date for the stock—a detail that income-focused investors will want to note.
- Unilever’s upcoming buyback, plus its next trading update, remain on traders’ radar.
Unilever PLC (ULVR.L) was marked at 5,462 pence before London’s open on Tuesday, barely budging after a 1.5% rise Monday. The stock sits just shy of its 52-week high. FTSE 100, for its part, wrapped up the last session nearly unchanged.
The dividend calendar’s in focus. “Ex-dividend”—that’s when shares lose eligibility for the upcoming payout—often draws short-term money, reshaping flows.
Unilever has declared a fourth-quarter interim dividend of 40.52 pence per share for its London listing. The ex-dividend date lands on Feb. 26, with payment slated for April 10. The company also signaled plans for a fresh share buyback of up to 1.5 billion euros, aiming to kick that off in the second quarter. Unilever’s next trading statement drops April 30.
It’s a volatile setup for the tape. Dividend buyers often collect their payout and exit quickly, while another crowd jumps in to play the dip and recovery. More often than not, the script doesn’t work out.
The debate isn’t really about the payout—it’s growth that’s in question. Unilever flagged earlier this month that its underlying sales growth for 2026 is likely to hit the bottom of its 4% to 6% target range, as U.S. and European markets lose steam. Underlying sales growth figures are adjusted to exclude effects from currency, acquisitions, and disposals. “There are signs of progress at Unilever… however we think it will take time,” said RBC Capital Markets analyst James Edwardes Jones. Quilter Cheviot’s Chris Beckett noted that “cost of living pressures” are still putting the squeeze on consumers in developed economies. Reuters
Management’s tech-efficiency message keeps surfacing. Last week, Unilever announced a five-year deal with Google Cloud, aiming to develop an “AI-first” data and marketing backbone. “Technology has moved to the core of value creation,” Chief Supply Chain and Operations Officer Willem Uijen said. Unilever
The stock already reflects expectations for reliable performance. Should volumes slip more in North America or Europe, or if pricing loses momentum sooner than hoped, investors may quickly lose enthusiasm for the “better, simpler” narrative.
Traders on Tuesday are eyeing ULVR to see if it can hold close to recent highs as actual cash trading kicks in. The focus will also be on any positioning changes heading into the ex-dividend date.
