Danone (BN.PA): analysis in plain words
Is Danone cheap or expensive? How it makes money, whether it grows and its risks, explained in plain words and with its official accounts.
Danone (BN.PA) is listed on Euronext Paris and we classify it in consumer staples. Below are its key dated figures, how it makes money, how it compares with its sector, what works for and against Danone according to those figures, and the questions people ask most about the stock. No buy or sell tips.
Danone (BN.PA) key figures as of November 4, 2026
| Figure | Value | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | €67.64 | Last price on November 4, 2026 |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 22.4x | Price over earnings per share |
| Revenue growth | +1.4% | Latest quarter vs the same quarter a year earlier |
| Net margin (TTM) | 7.1% | Profit for every 100 of sales |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 2.0x | Years of operating profit to repay debt |
| Dividend yield | 3.41% | Annual dividend over price |
| Market cap | €43.6 billion | What the stock market values it at |
The Danone figures come from Yahoo Finance, the same source the Fintols analysis uses, retrieved on November 4, 2026. Any BN.PA figure that is not available shows as N/A: we do not estimate it.
How Danone makes money
Danone sells food and drinks in three categories: Essential Dairy and Plant-Based (Activia, Danone, Alpro, Oikos), the largest; Specialized Nutrition, with infant formula (Aptamil, Nutricia) and medical nutrition; and Waters (Evian, Volvic). It sells to supermarkets, pharmacies and hospitals across Europe, North America, China and other emerging markets.
Over the last 12 months, Danone brought in revenue of €27.5 billion. For every 100 it sells, Danone keeps 50.0 after the direct cost of what it sells (gross margin) and 13.3 after all operating costs (operating margin). With 88,670 full-time employees, that is about €310,000 of revenue per employee.
Danone against its sector
To know whether a Danone figure is high or low you have to put it next to similar companies. This table compares Danone with the median of the 17 consumer staples companies Fintols covers, with data as of November 4, 2026.
| Figure | Danone | consumer staples median |
|---|---|---|
| P/E | 22.4x | 21.3x (17) |
| Revenue growth | +1.4% | +3.6% (19) |
| Net margin | 7.1% | 12.8% (19) |
| Dividend yield | 3.41% | 3.19% (19) |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 2.0x | 1.7x (19) |
In short, against the typical consumer staples company, Danone grows more slowly, earns a thinner margin and carries more debt. By size, Danone ranks number 3 of 6 consumer staples companies quoted in EUR on Fintols.
The bull case for Danone
These are the strengths in the Danone figures as of November 4, 2026:
- Analysts expect Danone earnings to rise: its P/E on the next 12 months of estimated earnings is 16.1x, below the current 22.4x.
- For income seekers, Danone pays a dividend yielding 3.41% at today's price, using 75% of its profit to fund it.
- Danone generates real cash: €2.1 billion of free cash flow over 12 months, 4.8% of its stock market value.
The main risk for Danone
The Danone figures as of November 4, 2026 show no clear red flag (no heavy debt, no losses, no falling sales). Its main risk is the one built into its business: customers switching to cheaper store brands and rising prices for the raw materials it buys.
Frequently asked questions about Danone
Is it a good time to buy Danone stock?
Fintols does not tell you whether to buy or sell Danone, and nobody knows what the price will do tomorrow. What we can show you is where it stands today. As of November 4, 2026, Danone stock trades at €67.64, 16% below its 52-week high (€80.14) and 18% above its low (€57.26). Its P/E is 22.4x against a consumer staples median of 21.3x, and 16.1x on the earnings analysts expect over the next 12 months. With Danone, as with any stock, timing matters less than understanding the business, investing for the long run and not betting everything on a single company.
Does Danone pay a dividend?
Yes. As of November 4, 2026, Danone pays €2.25 per share a year, which at today's price is a yield of 3.41%. It uses 75% of its profit to pay it. Its average dividend yield over the last five years is 3.36%. The consumer staples median on Fintols is 3.19%.
Is Danone stock expensive?
It depends on what you compare it with. On P/E, Danone trades at 22.4x its last 12 months of earnings: in line with the consumer staples median (21.3x). Including its debt, Danone is valued at 11.4x its EBITDA (EV/EBITDA). A high P/E alone does not make Danone expensive: it can be justified if earnings grow fast, and a low one can reflect a business in trouble.
Who are Danone's competitors?
On Fintols we compare Danone with Logista, L'Oréal and AB InBev, which are also in consumer staples. As of November 4, 2026, Logista is worth €4.8 billion and trades on a P/E of 17.3; L'Oréal is worth €237.2 billion and trades on a P/E of 37.8; AB InBev is worth €148.2 billion and trades on a P/E of 17.8. Each has a side-by-side comparison with Danone below.
Danone competitors
- Logista (LOG) analysis · Danone vs Logista comparison
- L'Oréal (OR.PA) analysis · Danone vs L'Oréal comparison
- AB InBev (ABI.BR) analysis · Danone vs AB InBev comparison
To understand Danone better
- Dividend Growth Investing: FCF Payout Ratio and Compounding
- P/E Ratio and EPS Explained: How to Read Them Without Traps
More companies like Danone: consumer staples stocks and Euro Stoxx 50 companies. Open the full BN.PA analysis with its valuation and scenarios. Educational content about Danone, not investment advice.