Reckitt Benckiser needs to deliver improving volumes when it reports next week, according to Mark Britzman, equity research analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.
“Third-quarter results disappointed and the concern remains that consumers have yet to fully digest higher prices,” he added.
“Management was quick to give positive commentary on volumes, which are expected to improve over the fourth quarter. But there was no specific guidance given on when their growth might turn positive again.”
If volumes can start to move in the right direction over 2024, margins can start to pick up and given the valuation drop over the past couple of years, it won’t take much to give sentiment a boost.
Shares in Reckitt, which have dropped by around 10% over the past year, were up 0.5% at 5,845p on Friday.