Mondelez forecasts steep drop in annual profit on soaring cocoa prices

(Reuters) -Cadbury-parent Mondelez International forecast a bigger-than-estimated drop in its annual profit on Tuesday, signaling pressures from higher costs, including from surging cocoa prices, sending its shares down nearly 6% after the bell.

Prices of cocoa — a key ingredient in chocolate — have increased relentlessly over the past year, forcing companies such as Mondelez to hike prices of their products.

That has pushed budget-strained consumers, who were already grappling with a cost-of-living crisis, toward cheaper alternatives.

Chicago-based Mondelez expects its 2025 profit to fall 10% on an adjusted basis, compared with analysts’ average estimate of a 6.7% decline, according to data compiled by LSEG.

“This outlook does not reflect any imposition of import tariffs by the U.S. and potential retaliatory actions taken by other countries, as the tariff and trade environment is uncertain and rapidly evolving at this time,” the Oreo and Toblerone maker said.

Mondelez’s volumes in Europe, its largest market by revenue, fell in the fourth quarter on account of incremental price hikes. In North America, however, volumes increased following a 0.9-percentage-point reduction in prices.

The surge in cocoa prices, coupled with higher transportation costs, led to a 650-basis-point decline in the company’s adjusted gross profit margin to 31.5%.

Mondelez reported net revenue of $9.60 billion for the three months ended Dec. 31, compared with the estimates of $9.64 billion.

On an adjusted basis, it earned 65 cents per share, below analysts’ estimate of 66 cents per share.

(Reporting by Neil J Kanatt in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)