Associated British Foods (LON:ABF) Stock Rating Lowered by Shore Capital

Associated British Foods (LON:ABF) was downgraded by Shore Capital to a “hold” rating in a note issued to investors on Friday,Digital Look reports.

Several other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Citigroup lifted their price objective on Associated British Foods from GBX 1,830 to GBX 1,840 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research note on Monday, November 10th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their target price on shares of Associated British Foods from GBX 2,215 to GBX 2,095 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, November 5th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated an “underperform” rating and issued a GBX 1,650 price target on shares of Associated British Foods in a research note on Friday. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of Associated British Foods to a “hold” rating and lowered their price target for the stock from GBX 2,130 to GBX 2,000 in a report on Wednesday, September 24th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and two have assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of GBX 1,931.

Associated British Foods Trading Up 0.5%

Associated British Foods stock traded up GBX 9 during midday trading on Friday, reaching GBX 1,859. 2,399,021 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 7,529,364. The company has a current ratio of 1.78, a quick ratio of 0.93 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 32.88. The firm has a market cap of £13.15 billion, a PE ratio of 13.13, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.51 and a beta of 1.24. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of GBX 2,141.56 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of GBX 2,148.77. Associated British Foods has a 12-month low of GBX 1,818.87 and a 12-month high of GBX 2,359.

Associated British Foods (LON:ABF) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 4th. The company reported GBX 174.90 earnings per share for the quarter. Associated British Foods had a net margin of 7.25% and a return on equity of 13.07%. Research analysts expect that Associated British Foods will post 188.0990415 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, insider George G. Weston sold 43,660 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 2,103, for a total transaction of £918,169.80. Also, insider Eoin Tonge sold 34,818 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of GBX 2,103, for a total transaction of £732,222.54. Corporate insiders own 1.50% of the company’s stock.

Associated British Foods News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Associated British Foods this week:

• Neutral Sentiment: ABF and Hovis requested the UK regulator skip the initial review and move straight to a Phase 2 takeover investigation — the move seeks to accelerate the timetable but signals the deal raises competition questions. ABF, Hovis ask UK regulator to fast-track takeover review
• Neutral Sentiment: Market commentary: ABF underperformed the market amid the sell-off, reflecting broader repositioning by investors while newsflow develops. Associated British Foods slips Thursday, underperforms market
• Negative Sentiment: Primark profit warning: Management cut guidance after a holiday trading period where fashion and beauty categories weakened, directly weakening ABF’s retail earnings outlook and prompting the share slump. Associated British Foods Shares Plunge as Primark Weakness Weighs on Outlook
• Negative Sentiment: Primark sales slump in holiday trading: Reports show declines in fashion and beauty sales across key peers, underlining sector weakness that hit Primark’s margins and sales momentum. Primark, Marks & Spencer See Fashion, Beauty Sales Shrink During Key Holiday Trading Period
• Negative Sentiment: Shares plunged (>10% intraday) after the Primark profit warning — multiple outlets highlight sharp investor reaction as analysts reassess FY profit forecasts. Associated British Foods shares plummet by over 10% after Primark profit warning
• Negative Sentiment: CMA fast-tracks Hovis takeover review to Phase 2 — regulator’s move increases takeover uncertainty, could prolong deal timeline or force remedies that affect transaction value/strategy. CMA accepts joint ABF/Hovis request to fast-track merger investigation
• Negative Sentiment: UK competition watchdog will investigate the Kingsmill owner’s planned Hovis takeover — added regulatory scrutiny raises execution risk for ABF’s M&A plans. UK competition watchdog to investigate Kingsmill owner’s planned takeover of Hovis
• Negative Sentiment: Financial press coverage (FT, Yahoo, AmericanBankingNews) emphasizes the link between Primark’s weaker trading, downgraded outlook and the share price decline — expect analyst revisions and volatility while more trading updates and CMA findings arrive. Associated British Foods (LON:ABF) Stock Price Down 10.4% – Here’s Why

Associated British Foods Company Profile

Associated British Foods is a diversified international food, ingredients and retail group with sales of £13.9bn, 128,000 employees and operations in 53 countries across Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia and Australia.

Our purpose is to provide safe, nutritious, affordable food, and clothing that is great value for money. With the breadth of our business, our brands and global reach, ABF aims to consistently deliver value to its stakeholders.

Our business is split into five segments: Grocery; Sugar; Agriculture; Ingredients; and Retail.