---
title: "3i Group Shares Plunge After Slowdown at Retailer Action"
type: "News"
locale: "en"
url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/286385742.md"
description: "3i Group shares fell 25% after reporting a slowdown in sales growth and profitability at retailer Action, which significantly impacts its portfolio. Action's like-for-like sales growth dropped to 2.4% this year, down from 6.8% last year, amid deteriorating consumer sentiment. The company's operating margin also decreased to 12.4%. 3i Group values its 65.4% stake in Action at £23.74 billion and plans a £750 million share buyback, despite a lower-than-expected net asset value per share of £30.30."
datetime: "2026-05-14T08:50:23.000Z"
locales:
  - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/286385742.md)
  - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286385742.md)
  - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/286385742.md)
---

# 3i Group Shares Plunge After Slowdown at Retailer Action

By Adria Calatayud

3i Group shares plunged after the U.K. private-equity company reported a slowdown in sales growth and weaker profitability at retailer Action, which accounts for the bulk of the group's portfolio value.

Shares in 3i Group tumbled as much as 25% in European morning trading Thursday, which would be their worst one-day percentage fall ever if maintained until close. The drop added to recent losses for a stock that more than halved its value over the past year.

The company said discount retailer Action's like-for-like sales growth slowed to 2.4% in the year to date, driven by a deterioration in consumer sentiment in some of its markets due to the situation in the Middle East and unfavorable weather. This compared with like-for-like growth of 6.8% that Action reported over the same period last year and of 4.9% for 2025 as a whole, 3i Group said.

3i Group also said Action's operating earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization margin stood at 12.4% in the first quarter of 2026, lower than its 2025 margin of 14.8%.

The update points to weaker-than-expected trends for sales growth and profitability at Action, and left much to do for the second half to meet its annual guidance, RBC Capital Markets analysts wrote in a note to clients.

3i Group said it valued its 65.4% stake in Action at 23.74 billion pounds ($32.12 billion) as of March 31, out of a total portfolio value of 31.82 billion pounds.

The company said it would launch a share buyback of up to 750 million pounds after ending its fiscal 2026 year with a net asset value of 30.30 pounds a share. Analysts had expected a NAV a share of 30.41 pounds, according to consensus estimates provided by the company.

Write to Adria Calatayud at adria.calatayud@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 14, 2026 04:38 ET (08:38 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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