By Scott Kanowsky
Investing.com -- European retail companies are expected to post earnings well below estimates over the next two years, according to analysis from Berenberg.
In a note, the investment bank said it estimates results from these firms will come in around 15% - 10% under consensus guidance in 2023 and 2024.
The analysts warned that resilient consumer spending - buoyed by accumulated savings, credit normalization, a recovery in travel, and pent-up demand for fashion items - was creating a "false sense of security" for the sector.
"[T]he macro environment has deteriorated significantly, with geopolitical tensions, supply disruptions and surging energy prices, all dealing a major blow to the global outlook," they wrote. "[H]eadwinds are growing, a consumer slowdown looks inevitable, and investors are bracing themselves for the downgrades."
Berenberg slashed its price target for a range of well-known retail players, including Kering (EPA:PRTP), EssilorLuxottica SA (EPA:ESLX), LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (EPA:LVMH), and Inditex (BME:ITX).
It also cut its ratings for Adidas AG (ETR:ADSGN) and H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB (ST:HMb), saying that the sporting goods and retail segments face particularly large risks from supply chain constraints and foreign exchange effects.