Ahold Delhaize, a leading grocery retailer, has announced a significant financial impact following a cyberattack in October that affected its operations in the United States and the Benelux region. The company estimates that the disruption will reduce its fourth-quarter net sales by €200 million to €250 million. In addition, the attack is expected to decrease the fourth-quarter underlying and IFRS operating income by €75 million to €100 million. Despite these losses, the company believes the expenses related to incident response and remediation will not significantly affect its IFRS operating income forecast for 2026.
The cyberattack has prompted Ahold Delhaize to revise its future financial projections. The company now expects its diluted underlying earnings per share to grow at a low single-digit rate, a downgrade from its previous mid to high single-digit forecast. This adjustment also affects its free cash flow, now expected to reach around €2.1 billion, down from the earlier projection of at least €2.3 billion. The reduction is attributed not only to the cyberattack but also to new payment regulations in Serbia.
Ahold Delhaize first reported the security breach in mid-October, stating that certain systems were disconnected to protect its IT environment. The incident primarily affected online capabilities and supply chain operations in the Benelux and the U.S. According to Frans Muller, the company's president and CEO, most disruptions were resolved within two weeks, although efforts to fully restore operations continue. The nature of the attack has not been disclosed, and the company maintains that no customer, associate, or partner data appears to have been stolen.
This is not Ahold Delhaize’s first encounter with cyber threats. In 2024, a ransomware attack targeted several U.S. brands under its umbrella, leading to the compromise of personal information belonging to more than 2.2 million individuals. The latest incident further underscores the challenges companies face in securing their digital infrastructures.
