FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Mixed annual figures and a disappointing forecast sent the shares of lubricant manufacturer Fuchs on a downward spiral on Friday. In the afternoon, they lost 8.1 percent to 45.40 euros and were the weakest stock in the MDax. In addition, the shares slipped below the 21-day line, a technical chart indicator for the short-term trend.
Since the beginning of the year, Fuchs is still up almost nine percent. However, the shares have now moved further away from their interim high of EUR 51.15, with which they approached the almost EUR 52 record from 2017 at the beginning of the month. The share price had roughly doubled since mid-2022.
According to expert Konstantin Wiechert from Baader Bank, Fuchs ended 2024 in line with its targets. However, the operating result in the fourth quarter did not meet expectations. "The year ended on a more moderate note and the forecast for the 2025 financial year is slightly below expectations," Wiechert said in his first commentary.
Fuchs has usually significantly exceeded the forecast and consensus in recent years, recalled Peter Spengler from DZ Bank. However, this is no longer possible because visibility and the scope for increasing the margin have decreased. In line with this, Stifel analyst Isha Sharma described the outlook as not conservative in view of the persistently difficult economic environment./niw/gl/mis
