Unilever reported a bigger-than-expected acceleration in fourth-quarter sales growth on Thursday helped by a step-up in emerging markets that saw the consumer goods maker end its tumultuous year on a higher note.

The maker of Dove soap and Ben & Jerry's ice cream - which spent most of last year reviewing its business after rebuffing a $143 billion takeover bid in February - said underlying sales rose 4 percent. Analysts on average were expecting 3.7 percent, according to a company-supplied consensus.