Manchester United is one of the most storied sports teams in the world, having garnered a record 20 top-flight league titles.
Despite the long winning history, the Red Devils of Old Trafford have been rather inconsistent as of late. You’re probably not here for a detailed account on football club standings — but suffice to say, this inconsistency also reflects on the club’s balance sheet. Manchester United stock (NYSE: MANU) has been on a pretty consistent downtrend since late 2023.
Losses, both financial and in terms of stock price, have continued to mount in 2025. In late February, the club announced that it would be cutting 250 jobs, in a bid to return to profitability after a 5-year long stretch of losses.
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Since the start of the year, Man U stock has lost 20.61% in value, and was trading at a price of $13.78 at press time.
Back in December of 2023, billionaire Jim Ratcliffe announced that he would be purchasing a 25% stake in the club. The deal was finalized in February of 2024 — and with an additional investment, Ratcliffe ended up owning 27.7% of Manchester United.
That investment certainly hasn’t paid off, at least yet. Let’s take a closer look at exactly how red the Red Devils have made the billionaire’s investment.
Ratcliffe’s investment in Man U stock has seen a roughly 30% decrease in value
At the time of the initial investment in late 2023, Manchester United stock was trading at a price of $19.75. Accordingly, the price of Man U stock has dropped by 30.22% since.
As an addendum, at the time of Ratcliffe’s second investment, the one which upped his stake in the club by 2.7%, MANU stock was changing hands at a price of $17.56 — some 27.43% higher than right now.
Despite recent challenges, Wall Street is optimistic regarding the future prospects of Man U stock. On February 15, Jefferies researcher Randal Konik reiterated a prior ‘Buy’ rating on Man U stock. The analyst set a $26 price target, which implies an 88.67% upside from prices as of March 14.
Earlier still, in mid-December, UBS initiated coverage with a ‘Buy’ rating and a $23 price target, which, if met, would equate to a 66.9% rally. While the club is on track for its worst finish in recent years, operational changes, no matter how painful or unpopular, seem to be garnering the approval of equity researchers. The club also announced plans to move to a new 100,000-seat stadium, a move which could provide a tailwind going forward.
Featured image via Shutterstock
