Ahold Delhaize stock weighs cyber hit on 2026 outlook

Ahold Delhaize said on Wednesday, November 4, that an October cybersecurity incident will weigh on fourth-quarter performance and has prompted a weaker 2026 outlook. The company expects the disruption to reduce fourth-quarter net sales by EUR 200 million to EUR 250 million and underlying and IFRS operating income by EUR 75 million to EUR 100 million, according to its official results release.

Cyber disruption lowers 2026 targets

The group now expects diluted underlying earnings per share to grow at a low-single-digit rate at constant exchange rates, compared with its previous mid- to high-single-digit forecast. Free cash flow guidance was reduced to around EUR 2.1 billion from at least EUR 2.3 billion. The underlying operating margin is expected to approach 4.0%, versus previous guidance of around 4.0%.

Management said the incident mainly affected online operations in the Benelux and the United States, as well as Benelux supply-chain activities. Most disruption was contained within two weeks, while restoration work continues. The company also cited new supplier payment regulations in Serbia in its free-cash-flow outlook.

Resilient quarter supports the business

Third-quarter net sales reached EUR 23.1 billion, up 1.9% at constant exchange rates. Online sales increased 8.2%, including 14.2% growth in the United States. Underlying operating margin was 4.1%, while IFRS operating income reached EUR 976 million. The IFRS result was EUR 30 million above the underlying result, mainly because of a pension settlement in the United States.

Ahold Delhaize also announced that its EUR 1 billion annual share buyback program will continue in 2027 and said it expects to increase the 2026 dividend per share at a mid-single-digit rate based on the revised outlook. For investors, the key issue is whether digital services and supply-chain operations normalize before the important holiday trading period.

Ahold Delhaize stock traded at EUR 34.14 on Lang & Schwarz at 18:03 CET on Friday, November 6. Investors can follow the real-time quote of Ahold Delhaize stock.

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