Companies Reporting: Tesla, Reckitt Benckiser, Unilever

Our regular look at the FTSE 350 and other companies reporting from 21 – 25 April.

• Musk’s alignment with the White House in focus for Tesla
• Reckitt’s transformation and tariff challenge
• Unilever navigating market challenges under new leadership

Tesla, Q1 Results, Tuesday 22 April

Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst, Hargreaves Lansdown: Tesla NASDAQ:TSLA comes into results as arguably the most scrutinised company in the world. That’s not really a position investors want to be in, and there’ll be a lot of focus on whether Elon Musk gives any indication of when he might be stepping back from DOGE. A return to business as usual would be welcomed with open arms. Investors will also be looking for some clarity on more affordable vehicles and any updates on the imminent launch of the robotaxi service in June.

• Is it still worth staying short on Tesla stock?

There are quite a lot of moving parts, but revenue is expected to come in broadly flat year-on-year, with a drop in earnings as Tesla transitioned to the refreshed version of its best-selling car, the Model Y. Things could pick up again in the coming quarter, with strong sales of the new Model Y to Chinese buyers a good indication that the refresh is just as popular as its predecessor.

Reckitt Benckiser, Q1 Trading Statement, Wednesday 23 April

Matt Britzman: Investors are eagerly anticipating Reckitt’s LON:RKT quarterly results next week, as the company continues its strategic transformation. Management expects to deliver strong first-quarter growth in emerging markets, flat results in Europe, and low single-digit growth in North America, primarily due to retailer destocking and a slower ramp-up for some key products.

• UK Stock Market News: Ibstock, Reckitt, Croda

Reckitt has also highlighted that growth expectations for its non-core segments, Essential Home and Mead Johnson Nutrition, will be subdued in the first half of the year. With neither of these segments part of the long-term plan, markets will be looking for updates on just how quickly the group can exit these areas.

Additionally, Reckitt’s relatively high exposure to tariff risk, with 43% of US sales volume currently imported, raises questions about potential price increases or margin pressure in the US market.

Unilever, Q1 Trading Statement, Thursday 24 April

Matt Britzman: Unilever LON:ULVR will be giving an update on first quarter trading next week, with investors eager to get more insight into the company’s evolving strategy under its new CEO, Fernando Fernandez. The company had already flagged that it is expecting a softer start to the year due to subdued pricing and weaker consumer confidence in key markets. However, Unilever expects performance improvements later in the year, making next week’s results a crucial indicator of how well the company is navigating current market conditions.

• UK Stock Market News: ASOS, Unilever, Hikma

Markets are also expecting further updates on the progression and restructuring efforts of the ice cream spinoff. With global trade tensions persisting, Unilever’s approach to addressing tariff risks and their impact on the supply chain will be closely watched. Additionally, with marketing spend at its highest level in over a decade, it’ll be important to see this investment translating into market share improvements.

This article has been brought to you in association with Hargreaves Lansdown. All opinions expressed in this article are from the analysts and do not necessarily represent the opinions of The Armchair Trader.

FTSE 100, FTSE 250 and selected other companies scheduled to report