UL Unilever PLC

   By Anthony Shevlin 
 

Unilever PLC (ULVR.LN) on Thursday said its first-half net profit fell slightly but backed its guidance for the full year.

For the six months ended June 30, the Anglo-Dutch consumer-goods company made a net profit of 3.21 billion euros ($3.58 billion) compared with a restated figure of EUR3.23 billion the year prior.

Pretax profit for the period was EUR4.34 billion and the company's operating profit was EUR4.47 billion, it said.

Unilever, whose brands include Hellmann's mayonnaise and Ben & Jerry's ice cream, said turnover was EUR26.1 billion, down 0.9%, driven by the sale of its spreads business.

Turnover in the second quarter was EUR13.7 billion, down 0.1%.

Underlying sales growth in the first half was 3.3%, with emerging markets at 6.2%

Unilever backed its 2019 view and said it still sees an improvement in its underlying operating margin.

The company expects 2019 underlying sales growth in the lower half of its multiyear 3% to 5% range.

Write to Anthony Shevlin at anthony.shevlin@dowjones.com; @anthony_shevlin

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

July 25, 2019 02:35 ET (06:35 GMT)

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