Lindt Is Most Expensive Stock in European Food Industry: Chart

Lindt & Spruengli AG is the most expensive stock in the Stoxx 600 Food & Beverage Index based on next year's estimated earnings, making it vulnerable to more analyst downgrades. The maker of Lindor balls, whose voting registered stock yesterday closed at 68,250 Swiss francs ($71,000) a share, has said first-half organic sales growth may be at the lower end of its 6 percent to 8 percent target this year. Analysts say the company must accelerate growth in the second half amid a weakening U.S. market.

--With assistance from Cormac Mullen To contact the reporters on this story: Corinne Gretler in Zurich at cgretler1@bloomberg.net, Heather Burke in London at hburke2@bloomberg.net. To contact the editors responsible for this story: Matthew Boyle at mboyle20@bloomberg.net, Thomas Mulier