3i Group Shares Plunge After Slowdown at Retailer Action

3i Group shares plunged as much as 25% in European trading after the FTSE 100-listed private-equity firm reported a slowdown at retailer Action, which makes up the bulk of its portfolio. Action’s like-for-like sales growth slowed to 2.4% year to date (versus 6.8% a year earlier and 4.9% for 2025) and its Q1 2026 EBITDA margin fell to 12.4% from 14.8% in 2025. 3i values its 65.4% stake in Action at £23.74bn as of March 31. The sharp one-day fall — potentially the worst on record for the stock — compounds a yearlong decline in which 3i has more than halved in value, and could exert downward pressure on FTSE 100 sentiment and investor confidence in 3i’s valuation of its flagship holding.