Carrefour Cuts 2026 Earnings Forecast After French Riots
Carrefour lowered its annual earnings and capital expenditure forecasts following widespread looting and store closures during civil unrest across France.
Retail supermarket chain Carrefour reduced its 2026 annual earnings forecast following widespread riots, looting, and curfews across France. The company now expects stable to slight growth in adjusted earnings per share, a sharp decline from its previous projection of high single-digit percentage growth.
Finance chief Matthieu Malige estimated the total impact on operating income between 80 million and 200 million euros. He cited direct costs involving stolen or destroyed merchandise, damaged equipment, and forced store closures. CEO Alexandre Bompard reported that approximately 50 stores were hit on the first day of unrest, noting that many were looted and the damage was considerable.
To mitigate further risks, the company hired external security guards and closed numerous locations across its 6,000-store network, with heavy impacts in Paris, Lyon, and Marseille. As a result of the instability, Carrefour lowered its annual capital expenditure forecast in France from 1.7 billion euros to 1.6 billion euros.
