Unilever Consumer Care profit rises 10% in Jan-Sept

Unilever Consumer Care reported a 10 percent year-on-year rise in profit for January-September, buoyed by higher finance income, with earnings nearly matching its full-year result in 2024.

The multinational fast-moving consumer goods company posted Tk 62.80 crore in profit for the nine months, compared with Tk 66.72 crore for the whole of last year, according to its financial statements.

Earnings per share stood at Tk 32.59, up from Tk 29.70 a year earlier. The company attributed the improvement to operating efficiency and stronger returns from cash investments, which lifted net finance income.

Revenue rose 10 percent to Tk 275.87 crore during the period.

However, its cash flow weakened as the company settled all outstanding Usance Payable at Sight (UPAS) letters of credit without availing new facilities, leading to higher outflows than the operating profit generated.

UPAS is a type of letter of credit that lets exporters receive immediate payment, while importers repay banks later under deferred credit terms.

Unilever Consumer Care said its net asset value per share fell due to payment of the FY2024 dividend, which was declared and disbursed by June 2025.

As of September 30, 2025, sponsor-directors held 92.80 percent of shares, public 4.65 percent and the rest owned by institutions and foreign investors, as per Dhaka Stock Exchange data.

Unilever Consumer Care, formerly GlaxoSmithKline Bangladesh, has operated since 1974 and holds a leading position in the health food drink market with brands such as Horlicks, Maltova, Boost and GlucoMax D. Integrated with Unilever in 2018, it focuses on nutrition, sustainability and tackling malnutrition in Bangladesh.