Overview
Netherlands food retailer's Q1 net sales rose 2% at constant FX, fell at actual rates
Diluted underlying EPS for Q1 rose 8.9% at constant FX yr/yr
Company reiterates 2026 outlook for operating margin and EPS growth
Outlook
Ahold Delhaize reiterates 2026 outlook: underlying operating margin around 4%
Company expects mid- to high-single-digit diluted underlying EPS growth at constant exchange rates
Free cash flow for 2026 expected to be at least €2.3 bln
Result Drivers
US SALES DRIVERS - US comparable sales growth was supported by online sales and positive weather/calendar shifts, but offset by pharmacy pricing changes, egg price deflation, and lower SNAP benefits
ONLINE SALES GROWTH - Online sales rose 8.3% at constant FX, driven by 14.3% growth in the US and expansion of omnichannel offerings
EUROPEAN EXPANSION AND REGULATION - European sales benefited from the Delfood acquisition and new stores, but were negatively impacted by the end of tobacco sales in Belgium and regulatory interventions in Serbia
Key Details
Metric
Beat/Miss
Actual
Consensus Estimate
Q1 Revenue
EUR 22.30 bln
Q1 Adjusted EPS
EUR 0.62
Q1 Adjusted EBIT Margin
4.00%
Q1 EBIT
EUR 895 mln
Q1 EBIT Margin
4.00%
Analyst Coverage
The current average analyst rating on the shares is "buy" and the breakdown of recommendations is 9 "strong buy" or "buy", 6 "hold" and 3 "sell" or "strong sell"
The average consensus recommendation for the food retail & distribution peer group is "buy"
Wall Street's median 12-month price target for Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize NV is €42.00, about 6.5% above its May 5 closing price of €39.43
The stock recently traded at 14 times the next 12-month earnings vs. a P/E of 12 three months ago
For questions concerning the data in this report, contact Estimates.Support@lseg.com. For any other questions or feedback, contact reuters.support@thomsonreuters.com.
(This story was created using Reuters automation and AI based on LSEG and company data. It was checked and edited by a Reuters journalist prior to publication.)