Hulk Hogan, wrestling icon, dies at 71 in Florida home
Investing.com -- KION Group (ETR:KGX) stock showed a muted reaction after S&P Global downgraded the German forklift manufacturer’s credit rating to junk status, citing concerns over the company’s efficiency program costs impacting margins and increasing leverage.
S&P lowered KION’s rating to BB+ from BBB- on Friday, pushing it below investment grade, while maintaining a stable outlook. The rating agency pointed to elevated costs associated with the company’s efficiency program, which is expected to weigh on margins this year and lead to higher leverage.
The market’s subdued response to the downgrade may reflect that another major rating agency, Fitch, continues to maintain KION at investment grade with a BBB rating, suggesting divergent views on the company’s financial health.
Analysts at Jefferies expressed surprise at the timing of S&P’s decision. "We are overall puzzled by the timing of the downgrade given the significant improvement in FCF, leverage and operating margins since 2022, and see limited fundamental impact on the group. Fitch remains at investment grade (BBB)," Jefferies noted.
The Frankfurt-based material handling equipment manufacturer has been implementing efficiency measures to improve its operational performance following challenges in recent years. Despite the downgrade, the stable outlook from S&P indicates the agency expects KION’s financial metrics to gradually improve as the efficiency program begins to yield results.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.