Cranswick plc (CWK.L)
Ever wonder who supplies the sausages, bacon and cooked meats filling British supermarket chillers? Usually, it is Cranswick.
Is Cranswick plc a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: There's no rating here and nothing for sale. In its favour: deeply embedded relationships with major UK supermarkets. Worth weighing: operates in a notoriously low-margin industry. Below, we lay out what it does, what its numbers mean, and the honest risks, so you can decide for yourself.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
How much has Cranswick plc actually fallen?
Over the last 2 years of daily prices, Cranswick plc fell as much as −12% from a high to a later low. Drops of this size are a normal part of owning a share - worth knowing in advance, so a dip doesn't come as a shock.
Worst peak-to-trough fall in the daily closing price over the period we hold. Past falls are not a forecast - it can fall further, or recover.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
long-term market share gains and continued dividend growth
structural shifts in diets away from meat or severe supply chain shocks
What does Cranswick plc do?
Cranswick is a major British food producer that turns farm livestock into everyday supermarket staples like pork, poultry, and gourmet continental foods. It makes its money by partnering closely with big grocery chains to keep shelves stocked with bacon, fresh cuts, and ready-to-eat products. The key detail to keep an eye on is how successfully they manage shifting farming costs and supermarket price pressures without losing their slice of the pie.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on growth and income, and weakest on momentum.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 2.1% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 9% over the year
- ✓Low debt - a sturdier balance sheet
- ✓Strong return on shareholder money (ROE 15%)
- deeply embedded relationships with major UK supermarkets
- consistent history of paying dividends
- solid earnings growth outpacing general revenue gains
- outbreaks of livestock disease impacting supply
- intense pricing pressure from powerful supermarket buyers
- wage inflation in factories and processing plants
What do Cranswick plc's numbers mean?
Does Cranswick plc pay a dividend?
Yes - Cranswick plc currently pays a dividend of about 2.1% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
What do the numbers say about Cranswick plc's dividend?
There's no rating here, and we don't judge whether the dividend will continue - that would be advice. Here are the figures income investors usually look at, and what each one means, so you can weigh it up yourself.
Figures are from the latest available data and can be distorted by one-off results. Past payments don't predict future ones, and a dividend can be cut at any time. This lays out the numbers to help you understand them - it is not a view on what will happen.
When does Cranswick plc report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
Cranswick plc is next scheduled to report on about 2026-11-24 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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PepsiCo, Inc.What are the scenarios for Cranswick plc?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of Cranswick plc?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- deeply embedded relationships with major UK supermarkets
- consistent history of paying dividends
- solid earnings growth outpacing general revenue gains
- defensive: A business whose demand holds up whatever the economy does - food, utilities, medicines. Steadier, though often slower-growing. business model supplying everyday food essentials
- operates in a notoriously low-margin industry
- vulnerable to animal feed price volatility
- heavy reliance on the UK grocery market
- outbreaks of livestock disease impacting supply
- intense pricing pressure from powerful supermarket buyers
- wage inflation in factories and processing plants
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- major supermarkets switching to competing meat suppliers
- persistent inability to pass rising farming costs onto consumers
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-02 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.