Written by The Banking Post
Dhaka, July 27 — Unilever Consumer Care Ltd (UCL) posted a 28 percent year-on-year increase in profit to Tk 243.31 million for the April–June quarter of 2025, driven by a rebound in revenue and higher finance income.
After experiencing revenue contraction in 2024 due to persistently high inflation, the company reversed the downtrend in the first quarter of 2025, with the momentum continuing through the second quarter. Revenue rose 3.27 percent year-on-year to Tk 796 million in Q2, compared to a 14 percent decline in the same period last year.
“The return to positive revenue growth is an encouraging sign,” said Masud Khan, Chairman of Unilever Consumer Care. He noted that easing inflation has restored consumer spending power, making the company’s products more accessible after they became discretionary items in 2024.
The company attributes the improved top-line performance to heightened marketing efforts, particularly around its flagship brand Horlicks, which accounts for roughly 80 percent of UCL’s revenue. “We have intensified our marketing, especially for Horlicks, to increase its relevance among students,” said Khan.
Despite a 30 percent increase in the cost of sales to Tk 551 million in Q2, profit rose due to stronger sales and a 44 percent jump in net finance income, which reached Tk 81 million in the quarter.
However, performance across the first half of 2025 paints a more muted picture. Net profit for the January–June period fell 7.7 percent year-on-year to Tk 381.25 million, despite a modest 2.31 percent revenue growth.
The decline in half-year profit was mainly driven by the resumption of technology and trademark royalty payments to the global brand owner, after a temporary waiver in 2024. UCL paid Tk 123 million in royalty fees during Q2 alone, while the net payment for the first half stood at Tk 72 million after accounting for prior provisions.
“The royalty payment was the main reason behind the decline in profit in H1,” Khan added.
Unilever Consumer Care, a subsidiary of the global consumer goods giant Unilever, manufactures and markets nutritional products including Horlicks, Maltova, Boost, and Glaxose-D in Bangladesh.
