Kerry Group maintains earnings per share guidance on continued growth

Kerry Group PLC on Thursday reported accelerating volume growth across the group and in the Americas, while reaffirming its 2026 earnings per share guidance.

The Tralee, Ireland-based nutrition products company said volume growth accelerated to 3.6% in the nine months to September 30 from 3.0% a year earlier. Third-quarter volume growth increased to 4.1% from 3.0%.

In the Americas, volumes grew 4.0% in the first nine months, compared with 3.6% a year earlier, while third-quarter growth accelerated to 4.6% from 3.5%.

Kerry said growth in North America was driven by the snacks end-use market, while Latin American growth was led by Mexico, particularly across the snacks and beverage markets.

"Volume growth in the period was achieved through Kerry's broad range of taste and biotechnology-enabled solutions, including savoury taste, Tastesense salt and sugar reduction technologies, botanicals, natural extracts, taste solutions for high-protein applications, bio-fermentation based preservation systems and enzymes," Kerry said.

The group's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation margin expanded by 50 basis points in the first nine months, compared with 90 basis points a year earlier.

The expansion was driven primarily by Accelerate 2.0, Kerry's multi-year business efficiency and operational optimisation programme it said.

Looking ahead, Kerry said: "Kerry remains strongly positioned for volume growth and margin expansion, underpinned by a good innovation and renovation pipeline.

"Kerry maintains its constant currency adjusted earnings per share guidance of 6% to 10% growth in 2026."

Shares in Kerry were up 2.8% at EUR97.00 on Thursday afternoon in London.

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