Barclays warns Bunzl earnings could be hit by Middle East conflict

Bunzl Public

19/03/2026 09:07

** Barclays downgrades Bunzl's BNZL.L rating to equal-weight from overweight and cuts target price to 2,250p from 2,750p citing downside risks to 2026 guidance if inflation ticks up globally

** Brokerage says since fuel and freight account for about 15% of operating costs for Bunzl, disruption in the Middle East could further squeeze margins and cut FY26 earnings per share by around 4%

** Shares in the British supplies distributor down 2.3% at 2,242p

** Eight of the 20 analysts covering the stock have a "buy" or higher rating, eight have "hold" while four rate it at "sell" or lower; median PT is 2,350p - LSEG data

** YTD, stock has gained ~8%

(Reporting by Neeshita Beura in Bengaluru)

((Neeshita.Beura@thomsonreuters.com))