Many investors weren't eager to ring the bell for BellRing Brands (BRBR +2.72%) during Monday's trading session. Shares of the protein products maker slumped by nearly 10%, on news that its stock is being dropped from a high-profile index.
A new blend
After market close on Friday, S&P Global announced the latest quarterly rebalancing of its closely followed S&P family of indexes. One of those lineups that will see adjustments is the one BellRing is currently a part of, the S&P MidCap 400 index. The company's stock is one of five being moved and replaced with new arrivals; the four others are Flex, Coty, Concentrix, and Blackbaud. Those four are being shifted to different indexes more appropriate for their current size.
Image source: Getty Images.
The quintet of incoming S&P MidCap 400 stocks comprises Roku, Coeur Mining, Semtech, Sanmina, and Viavi Solutions.
These changes, which, in S&P Global's boilerplate language, are being made to "ensure that each index is more representative of its market capitalization range," will take effect before market open on Monday, June 22.
NYSE: BRBR
Key Data Points
Don't lose focus
I should stress here that inclusion in, or exclusion from, a famous stock index almost always has little or no impact on a company's fundamental performance. In BellRing's case, however, a skinnier market cap is indicative of its recent struggles, and the reminder is a likely reason for Monday's sell-off.
That said, I'd never buy or sell a stock long-term based on whether it's an index component, and I'd advise anyone looking at BellRing (or any other company affected by S&P Global's periodic adjustments) to focus instead on its performance, strategy, and financial position.
