Διερεύνηση συμπεριφοράς βασικών χρηματοοικονομικών δεικτών για επιλεγμένες εισηγμένες εταιρείες τροφίμων στην Ευρώπη

Λεβαντή, Κωνσταντίνα

Investigation of the behavior of key financial ratios of selected listed food companies in Europe

Master Thesis

Author

Λεβαντή, Κωνσταντίνα

Date

2026-01

Abstract

This master’s thesis investigates the financial behavior of the European food sector during the 2017-2023 period. The main objective of the study is to examine how an industry – traditionally considered stable – reacted to two consecutive crises: the Covid-19 pandemic and the intense inflation that followed. To achieve this goal, the evolution of key financial ratios (liquidity, activity, leverage and profitability) was analyzed across a sample of eight major listed companies. The companies studied were: Nestle, Danone, Ebro Foods, Kerry Group, Associated British Foods, Newlat Food, Lotus Bakeries και Kri-Kri. The most notable finding of the study is the phenomenon of “asymmetric exposure” in 2020, meaning that the crisis did not affect all players in the same way. Companies with a strong presence in supermarkets saw their sales increase as they met the demand for at-home consumption. On the other hand, businesses dependent on tourism and the HoReCa sector suffered a severe blow. Subsequently, during the inflationary phase (2022-2023), companies with strong brand names managed to pass on increased production costs, thereby protecting their profit margins (pricing power). In conclusion, the research demonstrated that the stability of the sector should not be taken for granted. It relies on the company’s ability to adapt its operating model, effective supply chain management and the capacity to adjust to new market conditions.

Postgraduate Studies Programme

Οικονομική και Επιχειρησιακή Στρατηγική

Department

Σχολή Οικονομικών, Επιχειρηματικών και Διεθνών Σπουδών. Τμήμα Οικονομικής Επιστήμης

Number of pages

135

Language

Greek

URI

https://dione.lib.unipi.gr/xmlui/handle/unipi/18900

Collections

Τμήμα Οικονομικής Επιστήμης

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Except where otherwise noted, this item's license is described as
Αναφορά Δημιουργού-Μη Εμπορική Χρήση-Όχι Παράγωγα Έργα 3.0 Ελλάδα