1016 GMT - Ahold Delhaize reportedly dropping acquisition talks with Carrefour is seen as positive, Bryan Garnier analyst Clement Genelot writes, citing French newspaper La Lettre. Such a deal would have reshaped Ahold Delhaize's equity narrative from a stable, income-focused profile to a speculative growth-and-recovery story, with a likely pause in the shareholder-return policy, he adds. The move would have impacted the Dutch grocer's share price and raised concerns among shareholders, he notes. While Ahold Delhaize is open to large-scale M&A for growth, a deal in Eastern Europe--even with Casino--would be preferable, provided it preserves the shareholder-return policy.Ahold Delhaize shares are down 1.1% at 37.50 euros, while Carrefour shares are down 1.3% at 14.63 euros. (najat.kantouar@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 23, 2025 06:17 ET (10:17 GMT)

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