MUMBAI:  India’s leading FMCG company Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has reported steady financial results for the third quarter (Q3) and the nine-month period ended 31 December 2024. With a strategic focus on premiumisation, innovation, and cost optimisation, HUL demonstrated resilience amidst market challenges and rising input costs.

Q3 2025 ended 31 December 2024, saw HUL record a total income of Rs 16,050 crore, a 1.7 per cent  increase from Rs 15,781 crore in the same quarter of the previous year. Its revenue from operations stood at Rs 15,559 crore, driven by solid performances in  the home care and food categories. Profit before exceptional items and tax remained steady at Rs 3,474 crore even as net profit rose 2.1 per cent to Rs 2,989 crore as against Rs 2,925 crore in Q3 2024. 

Operating expenses were well-managed at Rs 12,576 crore, indicating efficient cost control. Home care vertical was a stellar performer with revenue climbing Rs 5,739 crore, with segment profit at Rs 1,086 crore, underscoring its role as a key growth driver. The beauty and well being vertical also saw revenues swelling to Rs Rs 3,556 crore, although profits declined slightly to Rs 1,018 crore due to higher input costs. And the food segment was a steady performer awith revenue at Rs 3,745 crore and proft as Rs 755 crore. 

On a nine month basis, HUL’s total income reached Rs 48,159 crore, up 1.9 per cent  from Rs 47,266 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year. Revenue from operations stood at Rs 46,759 crore, showcasing steady consumer demand. Profit before tax grew to Rs 11,053 crore, while net profit increased by 6.1 per cent  to Rs 8,196 crore. The home care category recorded a nine month revenue of Rs 17,143 crore, supported by premiumisation and product innovation. The beauty & well being vertical generated Rs 10,258 crore, benefiting from a focus on personal care products while the foods tranche delivered consistent revenue of Rs 11,398 crore, reflecting effective competitive pricing strategies. 

During the quarter, HUL split its beauty & personal care division into two new segments—beauty & wellbeing and personal care—to enhance strategic focus and operational efficiency. Prudent management of raw material costs and advertising expenditure helped mitigate the impact of rising input costs and currency fluctuations.  A continued shift towards premium product offerings in home care and beauty & wellbeing bolstered overall performance. 

Additionally, it got clearance from its board  (based on the recommendation of the independent and audit committees) to dissect the ice-cream business from HUL and fuse it with its wholly owned subsidiary Kwality Wall’s (India) Ltd. Following this, Kwality Walls will issue shares to all the HUL shareholders in a 1:1 ratio.. The ice-cream business had a turnover of Rs 1,595 crore in the year ended 31 March, 2024, that is 2.7 per cent of HUL’s turnover, and it has some great brands in Cornetto, Magnum and Kwality Walls. The demerger creates a leading ice-cream company listed on the stock exchange which will be given wings to fly with a separate managed allowed to focus on its growth. 

The demerger followed a decision by Hindustan Unilever’s parent company in the UK to carve out its ice-cream business into a separate company. The rationale behind this separation was that in ice-cream has a different operating model, including differentiated infrastructure for supply and distribution, capital allocation needs, distinct channel landscape and go- to-market strategy.

HUL also announced that it has agreed to acquire  90.5 per cent of the Rs 500 crore turnover  Uprising Science Pvt Ltd – which is behind the Minimalist hair care and skin care products range.  The HUL board agreed to a price tag of Rs 2,670 crore at a pre-money enterprise valuation of Rs  2,955 crore (and a primary infusion of Rs  45 crore) for the acquisition of the shares from  the sellers which include co-founders Mohit Kumar Yadav and . Rahul Yadav,  Peak XV Partners Venture Investments VII, Surge Ventures II, and Twenty Nine Capital Partners (General Partner). The transaction is expected to be completed in Q1 of FY 2026. Following that, HUL will acquire the remaining 9.5 per cent of Uprising’s  equity within two years.

Minimalist will join the portfolio of brands in HUL’s  beauty & wellbeing division led by executive director Harman Dhillon. The current Minimalist team led by Mohit and Rahul will continue to operate the business in collaboration with HUL.