Hilton Foods warns of profit headwinds, shares slump 22%

UK‑based food producer Hilton Food Group PLC (LSE: HFG) saw its shares plunge roughly 22 % after issuing a profit warning tied to weak demand for white fish and ongoing regulatory delays. The company now expects adjusted pre‑tax profits of £72 – 75 million for the current fiscal year, down from last year’s £76.1 million.  Despite stable volumes in its red meat and convenience food segments, the seafood division remains under pressure from elevated raw‑material costs and constrained household budgets.  Key issues include regulatory hurdles at its European smoked‑salmon unit Foppen BV, which can’t ship to the US due to approval delays tied to the US government shutdown — full production is now unlikely to resume before 2026.  On the positive side, Hilton expects net debt to be only slightly higher at year‑end, bolstered by approximately £71 million in net cash inflows from completed acquisitions.  A strategic operational review is nearly complete, with an update due on 29 January 2026. #HiltonFoodGroup #SeafoodDemand #ProfitWarning #FoodIndustryChallenges #SlimScan #GrowthStocks #CANSLIM