Unilever: Muted outlook for 2007

CONSUMER goods giant Unilever reported underlying sales below analyst expectations yesterday and gave a lacklustre outlook for 2007, sending its shares lower.

The Anglo-Dutch maker of Sunsilk shampoo, Dove soap and Knorr soups posted fourth-quarter underlying sales growth of just 3.4% as Europe remained a tough market. Overall sales for the whole year only rose 3.8%.

Unilever’s fourth-quarter 3.4% rise came below a consensus expectation of 3.7% and the full year’s 3.8% increase was behind a 4% expectation, while the group reiterated it expected to grow at 3% to 5% this year.