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VEON Ltd (AS:VON) (NASDAQ:VEON) stock sold off 18% on Friday, extending its weekly decline to nearly 21%, a drop Benchmark attributes to an early morning block trade amplified by limited liquidity. The research firm reiterated its Buy rating and $60.00 price target on Monday, aligning with the broader analyst consensus that sees significant upside potential. According to InvestingPro analysis, VEON appears undervalued, trading at just 5.9x earnings with impressive gross margins of 87%.
Benchmark believes the selloff was likely triggered by investor de-risking in response to the Israel-Iran conflict and lack of progress toward a Ukraine cease-fire. The firm emphasized there were no VEON-specific news or operational developments that would justify the significant price drop.
VEON primarily operates in Central Asian CIS nations and Pakistan, with no exposure to the Gulf or broader Middle East region. Despite this geographic focus, the stock appears to have been caught in market rotation away from frontier market assets, particularly those with Ukrainian connections.
Benchmark noted that additional headlines related to current conflicts or the G7 meeting in Canada this week could further impact sentiment toward frontier markets, especially Ukraine. The firm highlighted concerns about budgetary and foreign policy unpredictability from the current U.S. Administration.
The research firm pointed to potential implications for interest rates and currencies as factors that could continue to influence VEON’s stock performance in the near term, despite maintaining its positive long-term outlook on the company. This view is supported by VEON’s strong operational metrics, including an EV/EBITDA ratio of 3.7x and analyst price targets ranging up to $67.50.
In other recent news, VEON Ltd. has reported its first-quarter financial results for 2025, revealing a 12.9% growth in local currency revenue and an 8.9% increase to $1.026 billion in U.S. dollar terms. The company’s Adjusted EBITDA also rose by 10.4% in local currency and 13.7% to $439 million in U.S. dollar terms. Benchmark has maintained its Buy rating on VEON with a price target of $60, following these results. Additionally, VEON has commenced the third phase of its share buyback program, allocating up to $35 million for repurchasing American Depositary Shares. The company is also exploring external financing options through a potential bond issuance. Moreover, VEON has finalized a strategic partnership with Engro Corporation to manage telecommunications infrastructure assets in Pakistan, which includes a payment of approximately $188 million to Jazz, VEON’s subsidiary. In Kazakhstan, VEON’s QazCode has partnered with AI firm Seekr to enhance AI-powered solutions for businesses. Finally, VEON has appointed Anand Ramachandran as its new Corporate Development Officer, overseeing Mergers & Acquisitions and Investor Relations.
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