Nestle plans sale of ice cream business as fourth-quarter sales growth beats estimates

Group 1 - Nestle shares increased by 3% following a fourth-quarter organic sales growth of 4%, surpassing analyst expectations of 3.55% [1] - For 2026, Nestle aims for organic sales growth of 3% to 4% and an improvement in its underlying trading operating profit margin, which was 16.1% in 2025 [1] Group 2 - Nestle plans to sell its remaining ice cream business to Froneri, a joint venture with PAI, and has initiated the process to divest its water business, expecting deconsolidation by 2027 [2] - Under the leadership of CEO Philipp Navratil and Chairman Pablo Isla, the company is focusing on streamlining operations and prioritizing resources on four core businesses [3] Group 3 - An infant formula recall has negatively impacted trust in the business, with Nestle indicating a 20 basis point negative impact on organic growth guidance and reporting 1.7 billion francs in restructuring costs related to the recall [4]