Lindt Shares Drop as Chocolatier Lowers Guidance on Geopolitical Unrest

By Aimee Look

Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Spruengli shares slumped after lowering its guidance for 2026, citing geopolitical uncertainty.

Lindt lowered its expectations for 2026 organic sales growth to 4%-6%, down from previous medium- to long-term targets of 6% to 8%. Management said the adjustment was because of geopolitical uncertainties. For 2025, Lindt's organic sales growth was 12.4%.

Shares fell 6.9% in early morning European trading.

The chocolate maker's outlook for operating profit margin growth of 20 to 40 basis points remained the same.

It is unclear how much of the guidance reduction is due to continuing tensions in the Middle East, and how much can be attributed to volume issues, Barclays analyst Warren Ackerman said.

"We believe this is more focused around consumer sentiment, given Lindt's exposure to the Middle East is not that significant," Ackerman writes in a note. "We question how much of this guidance reduction is due to the ongoing tensions."

Lindt said Tuesday that it booked 5.92 billion Swiss francs ($7.62 billion) in organic sales in 2025, a 12.4% rise from a year earlier. Analysts had expected 5.93 billion francs, according to estimates from Visible Alpha.

The company also reported 727.2 million francs in net income, a 8.1% increase from 2024. Analysts had expected 721.4 million francs.

Meanwhile, Lindt also said it would issue a new share-buyback program for 1 billion francs.

Write to Aimee Look at aimee.look@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 10, 2026 04:49 ET (08:49 GMT)