Unilever sees potential for recovery of market share

Consumer goods giant Unilever has seen a promising start to the year, with underlying sales growth of 8.1% in the first quarter.

The company's performance was driven by strong demand for its beauty and personal care products, as well as its food and refreshment businesses. Unilever's emerging markets business also performed well, with underlying sales growth of 9.4%.

Unilever's CEO, Alan Jope, said that the company is "well-positioned to continue to deliver strong performance in 2023."

He added that Unilever is "confident in our ability to recover market share in the categories where we have lost ground." Unilever has been losing market share to smaller, more nimble competitors in recent years. However, the company is hoping to regain some of this lost ground by investing in new products and marketing campaigns.

Unilever's strong start to the year is a positive sign for the company. The company is facing a number of challenges, including rising inflation and geopolitical uncertainty. However, Unilever is confident that it can continue to deliver strong performance in 2023.

Analysts are also positive on Unilever's prospects.

In a recent note to clients, analysts at Jefferies said that Unilever is "well-positioned to continue to deliver strong performance in 2023." The analysts added that Unilever is "a defensive play in a challenging economic environment."

Unilever's shares have risen by more than 10% in the past year. The company's strong performance and positive outlook have made it a popular stock with investors.