United Natural Foods (UNFI) stock plummeted 5.11% in pre-market trading on Thursday, as the company faced a series of negative analyst actions. The sharp decline comes amid growing concerns about the company's near-term prospects, reflected in a downgrade and multiple price target reductions from Wall Street analysts.
Northcoast Research dealt the first blow by downgrading United Natural Foods from Buy to Neutral, signaling a shift in their outlook for the company. This downgrade was quickly followed by several price target cuts from other prominent financial institutions. BMO Capital Markets slashed its target price for UNFI from $32 to $25, while Deutsche Bank lowered its price target even further, from $33 to $24, maintaining a Hold rating on the stock.
The wave of bearish sentiment from analysts appears to have shaken investor confidence, leading to the significant pre-market sell-off. Guggenheim Securities also weighed in, maintaining their Hold rating on United Natural Foods, further reinforcing the cautious stance adopted by Wall Street. As the market digests these developments, investors will be closely watching for any additional insights or guidance from the company to assess its future performance and potential for recovery.