McCormick marginally down as co in talks to acquire Unilever's food business

McCormick &

20/03/2026 14:23

** Shares of Cholula sauce maker McCormick MKC.N fall ~1% to $53.49

** Stock dropped as much as 2.7% earlier in the session to touch its lowest level since June 2018

** Co in talks with Unilever ULVR.L to acquire its food business, marking a major shift for the British consumer goods company as it seeks to focus on higher-growth household and personal care businesses

** "McCormick is a natural fit as it sits squarely in food CPG and has a lot of the operational and logistical expertise needed to integrate Unilever’s food portfolio," says Neil Saunders, managing director of research firm GlobalData

** But Saunders expresses concern on how McCormick will maximize value from the deal as Unilever brands, despite strong quality, face pressure from a soft market

** As of last close, stock down 20% YTD

 (Reporting by Koyena Das from Bengaluru)

 ((Koyena.das@thomsonreuters.com))