Volkert Maintains Buy Rating on Vodafone Despite Negative Insider Sentiment

DZ BANK AG analyst Matthias Volkert maintains a Buy rating on Vodafone, citing a 3-star analyst with an average return of 4.7% and a 61.64% success rate. The consensus analyst rating for Vodafone is Hold with an average price target of £83.50. Vodafone's market cap is £21.39B and has a P/E ratio of -6.29. Insider sentiment is negative with an increase in insider selling over the past quarter.

American Century Companies Inc. has significantly increased its holdings in Vodafone Group PLC, acquiring an additional 346,458 shares, bringing its total ownership to 1,661,165 shares worth approximately $15.57 million [1]. This move follows a pattern of institutional investors modifying their stakes in Vodafone. For instance, Hazlett Burt & Watson Inc. increased its stake by 65.5%, and NBC Securities Inc. drastically increased theirs by over 116,000% during the same quarter [1].

Analysts have varied opinions on Vodafone. Goldman Sachs downgraded its rating to "sell," while Zacks Research raised it to "hold," with the average consensus price target set at $136.00 [1]. DZ BANK AG analyst Matthias Volkert maintains a Buy rating on Vodafone, citing a 3-star analyst with an average return of 4.7% and a 61.64% success rate [2]. The consensus analyst rating for Vodafone is Hold with an average price target of £83.50. Vodafone's market cap is £21.39B and has a P/E ratio of -6.29. Insider sentiment is negative with an increase in insider selling over the past quarter [2].

Patinex AG, a Swiss-based entity, has disclosed a 3% stake in Vodafone Group Public Limited Company as of August 21, 2025 [3]. This acquisition represents a notable increase in Patinex AG's influence over Vodafone's decision-making processes. The company's net sales are distributed geographically across regions, including the UK, Germany, Europe, Africa, Turkey, and more [3].

Vodafone Idea, a subsidiary of Vodafone Group, has been expanding its 5G network. Recently, it launched 5G services in Pune, marking the fifth city in Maharashtra to gain access to the operator's next-generation network [3]. The expansion follows earlier launches in Nagpur, Nashik, and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, with Vi's first 5G deployment in the state beginning in Mumbai in March 2025 [3].

References
[1] https://www.marketbeat.com/instant-alerts/filing-american-century-companies-inc-acquires-346458-shares-of-vodafone-group-plc-vod-2025-08-25/
[2] https://www.ainvest.com/news/patinex-ag-reveals-3-stake-vodafone-group-august-21-2508/
[3] https://www.rcrwireless.com/20250825/5g/vodafone-idea-5g-6