The Brussels Stock Exchange extended its losses on Friday, with the Bel20 index falling by an additional 0.60% to close at 4,420.51 points.
The downward trend saw fifteen out of the twenty stocks in the index ending in negative territory, as investors reacted to corporate earnings reports and broader market sentiment.
argenx Leads Decliners Amid Broad-Based Losses
Among the Bel20 stocks, the biggest daily decline was recorded by biopharmaceutical company argenx, which fell 2.32% to settle at €597.20. The stock suffered from profit-taking after previous gains, reflecting broader concerns about biotech sector valuations.
Investment holding company Ackermans & van Haaren also saw a drop, declining by 1.16% to €195.80. Despite the company reporting a record net profit increase from €399.2 million to €459.9 million, supported by strong contributions from subsidiaries DEME, Delen Private Bank, and Bank Van Breda, investors reacted cautiously. However, shareholders will receive an increased dividend of €3.80 per share.
bpost Crashes 26.83% After Disappointing Results
One of the most notable movements on the broader market was the sharp decline of postal operator bpost, which plummeted by 26.83% to €1.52.
Despite a 1.6% rise in revenue to €4.3 billion last year, the company posted a significant net loss of €209.2 million due to substantial write-downs on its U.S. operations.
This dramatic downturn means that shareholders will not receive a dividend for the past year, contributing to the stock’s freefall.
What’s Cooking? and Shurgard Also Decline
Prepared meals producer What’s Cooking? fell by 1.41% to €105.00, despite a 9.4% revenue growth to €403.5 million. The company did, however, report a significant net profit increase from €7.7 million to €20.6 million.
Shareholders will benefit from a total dividend of €10 per share, comprising an extraordinary dividend of €5.50 in June and a regular dividend of €4.50 in July. The special dividend results from the sale of its charcuterie division.
Meanwhile, self-storage company Shurgard recorded a 0.99% drop to €34.95. The company reported a net current profit of €1.71 per share for the year.
Elia and Atenor Buck the Trend
Despite the prevailing market downturn, some stocks managed to post gains. Energy infrastructure company Elia led the index performers, rising 1.52% to €63.65.
In the second-tier market, real estate developer Atenor saw a robust gain of 3.80%, closing at €3.15.
Proximus and Texaf Post Gains Amid Mixed Earnings Reports
Telecom group Proximus increased by 2.21% to €6.01, following positive earnings results. The company reported a 6.4% increase in revenue to €6.4 billion, with net profit jumping by 27.8% to €456 million.
Shareholders will receive a dividend of €0.60 per share, with a similar payout forecasted for the current year. Congolese-focused company Texaf edged up by 1.82% to €33.60, as revenue grew from €29.3 million to €32.3 million.
However, net profit declined from €11.6 million to €7.4 million. Shareholders will still receive a dividend of €1.76 per share.
Bekaert Inches Up as It Plans South American Exit
Bekaert, the wire technology group, rose marginally by 0.12% to €34.62. Despite an 8.6% drop in revenue to €4 billion and a decline in net profit from €254.6 million to €238.9 million, the company announced plans to divest its steel wire activities in South America. Shareholders will receive a dividend of €1.90 per share.
The Belgian stock market remains under pressure as investors weigh corporate earnings, dividend announcements, and broader economic concerns.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members
