Core Insights - Unilever has decided to close its UK clean beauty brand REN due to internal factors and market challenges, indicating a strategic shift under new CEO Fernando Fernandez [1] - The company has also closed its TATCHA brand's Tmall flagship store and ceased updates on social media, signaling a significant adjustment in its high-end beauty strategy [1] - Unilever's Q1 2025 revenue was €14.8 billion, a slight decline of 0.9% year-on-year, with a 1.3% increase in underlying sales volume [1] Group 1: Business Strategy and Restructuring - Unilever initiated a "growth action plan" last year, which included cutting approximately 7,500 jobs, about 6% of its workforce, and reducing its brand portfolio from over 400 to 30 core brands [2] - The company aims to save approximately €550 million by the end of 2025 through these restructuring efforts, having already reduced around 6,000 full-time employees [2] - The ice cream business is expected to be separated by Q4 2025, with independent operations starting on July 1 [2] Group 2: Financial Performance - Unilever's Q1 revenue breakdown shows Beauty & Wellbeing and Personal Care each generated €3.3 billion, while Home Care, Nutrition, and Ice Cream generated €3.0 billion, €3.4 billion, and €1.8 billion respectively [3] - The company maintains a full-year outlook for 2025, expecting underlying sales growth between 3% and 5% [3] Group 3: Market Dynamics - The Asia-Pacific region is Unilever's largest market, contributing 44% of total revenue, with Q1 revenue of €6.5 billion and a 2% increase in underlying sales [4] - However, the Chinese market has shown signs of decline, with a high single-digit drop in Q1, continuing a trend from the previous year [5] - Unilever is implementing targeted interventions in China, such as expanding product offerings and enhancing brand promotion, with expectations for improvement by H2 2025 [5] Group 4: Competitive Landscape - The company faces increasing competition from local brands and market dynamics, particularly in the personal care and beauty segments, where consumer preferences are shifting towards online and personalized experiences [6] - Unilever's ice cream and personal care segments are under pressure from "consumption downgrade," impacting profitability [6] - Competitors like L'Oréal are planning to maintain growth in China, further intensifying the competitive environment for Unilever [6]

Core Insights - Unilever has announced the closure of its high-end beauty brand REN, marking the first brand shutdown under new CEO Fernando Fernandez [1][12] - The decision to close REN is attributed to internal complexities and external market pressures that have hindered the brand's profitability for an extended period [1][12] Brand Background - REN was established in 2000 and was acquired by Unilever in 2015, becoming the first brand in Unilever's Prestige beauty division [2][5] - The brand focused on high-end consumers and promoted a philosophy of using 100% natural ingredients without chemical or synthetic components [2] Financial Performance - By 2014, REN had entered 50 countries with sales revenue of approximately €40 million (around 330 million RMB) [5] - After its acquisition, REN's performance did not meet expectations, with reports in 2024 indicating that its annual revenue was below €5 million, failing to reach the threshold for "strong brands" [13] Strategic Shift - Unilever has been undergoing a series of business divestitures, including the sale of Elida Beauty and other non-core assets, as part of a broader strategic realignment [12][15] - The company aims to focus on 30 "strong brands," which include 14 billion-euro brands and 16 brands expected to reach that level, while non-core brands like REN are being phased out [12][15] Cost-Saving Measures - Unilever's "Productivity Plan" aims to streamline operations and reduce costs, with a target of saving €550 million by the end of 2025 [15] - The company has increased restructuring costs to 1.4% of revenue, with an annual investment of €1.5 billion (approximately 12.26 billion RMB) to optimize its product portfolio [15] Market Challenges - Unilever's beauty division, including REN, has faced sales declines, attributed to a general slowdown in the beauty market [17] - The company reported a 0.9% year-over-year decline in revenue for Q1 2025, with specific challenges in the Chinese market, where sales fell by a single-digit percentage [17][19] Future Outlook - Unilever plans to enhance its core brand innovation and focus on high-end product offerings while adjusting its marketing strategies in China [18][19] - The company is committed to improving investment quality over scale and aims to optimize its portfolio through divestitures and strategic acquisitions [19]