Soccer Giants Report Declining Stock Market Performance

(MENAFN) Publicly traded football clubs delivered a bruising first quarter for shareholders, with most major European sides posting steep stock declines as geopolitical unrest in the Middle East sapped risk appetite across global markets.

The damage was widespread — though not universal. Manchester United and Lazio emerged as the rare bright spots, while heavyweights including Juventus, Porto, and Borussia Dortmund suffered heavy losses.

Manchester United led all gainers with a 5.7% share price increase, buoyed by a remarkable financial turnaround and a strong third-place standing in the Premier League. The English club reported a net profit of £4.2 million ($5.9 million) for the quarter ending December 31, 2025 — a dramatic swing from the £27.7 million ($37.5 million) loss recorded in the same period a year earlier. Lazio posted a modest 0.4% gain.

The rest of the table told a far grimmer story.

Ajax slipped 0.5% amid a disappointing campaign in the Eredivisie, while Celtic dropped 2% after reporting a 70% collapse in pre-tax profit to £13.2 million ($17.8 million) for the six months ending December 31, 2025 — with revenue falling 29% to £83.5 million ($113.1 million) over the same period. Benfica and Sporting Lisbon shed 2.2% and 3.5%, respectively.

Deeper in the red, Borussia Dortmund tumbled 8% after Atalanta knocked the German club out of the UEFA Champions League, raising concerns among investors over lost income from broadcasting rights, performance bonuses, and commercial partnerships.

Porto fell even harder, losing 17.7% over the quarter.

The steepest decline belonged to Juventus, whose shares cratered 30.6% — a fall compounded by the Italian club's elimination from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Turkish side Galatasaray, as well as a faltering title bid in Serie A.

MENAFN16042026000045017169ID1110991379