Berkshire Hathaway's New CEO May Sell 27.5% Stake in Kraft Heinz
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 3d ago
0mins
Source: CNBC
- Expected Share Sale: Berkshire Hathaway, led by new CEO Greg Abel, may sell its 27.5% stake in Kraft Heinz, currently valued at approximately $7.5 billion, indicating a desire to streamline the investment portfolio amid market pressures.
- Market Reaction: Following the SEC filing, Kraft Heinz's stock dropped about 7% to $21.99, near a six-year low, reflecting market concerns over the potential share sale, before closing at $23.20, down 1.4% for the week.
- Portfolio Adjustment: The potential sale could increase Berkshire's cash reserves, which exceed $350 billion, intensifying investor expectations on how to deploy these funds, especially as some shareholders call for dividends.
- Historical Lessons: Buffett has expressed disappointment over the Kraft Heinz merger, admitting to overpaying, resulting in an overall loss of approximately $2.3 billion, highlighting the complex dynamics between brands and retailers in the market.
Analyst Views on KHC
Wall Street analysts forecast KHC stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for KHC is 25.86 USD with a low forecast of 24.00 USD and a high forecast of 28.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
15 Analyst Rating
0 Buy
14 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 23.580
Low
24.00
Averages
25.86
High
28.00
Current: 23.580
Low
24.00
Averages
25.86
High
28.00
About KHC
The Kraft Heinz Company manufactures and markets food and beverage products around the world through its eight consumer-driven product platforms: Taste Elevation, Easy Ready Meals, Substantial Snacking, Desserts, Hydration, Cheese, Coffee, and Meats. The Company has two reportable segments defined by geographic region: North America and International Developed Markets. Its other segments, consisting of West and East Emerging Markets (WEEM) and Asia Emerging Markets (AEM), are combined and disclosed as Emerging Markets. It manufactures its products from a wide variety of raw materials. Its brands include Kraft, Oscar Mayer, Heinz, Philadelphia, Lunchables, Velveeta, Ore-Ida, Capri Sun, Maxwell Apartment, Kool-Aid, Jell-O, Heinz, Golden Circle, Wattie’s, Plasmon, Heinz, ABC, Master, Quero, Kraft, and Pudliszki, among others. The Company’s products are sold through its own sales organizations and through independent brokers, agents, and distributors.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
