BUZZ-Ahold Delhaize: threatened by fierce Amazon-led competition

** Netherlands-based food retailer shares down 4.2 pct, hitting lowest point in almost 8 mths

** Amazon says to cut prices at Whole Foods starting next week

** Dutch supermarket chain has strong presence on the east coast of the US

** Top ranked analyst* John David Roeg of NIBC says: "The market is saying that competition in the U.S. food retail sector is going to remain fierce for some time to come"

** Retail shares reacted strongly when Amazon acquired Whole Foods

** 4-star analyst* Robert Jan Vos of ABN Amro says their rating on Ahold Delhaize is still "buy"

** Vos reckons Amazon threat may mean digital strategies will be accelerated, but says "Ahold Delhaize is not at all poorly placed to compete"

** Co worst performer on pan-European Stoxx 600 and Amsterdam's blue-chip index

** Amazon news dragging down Pan-European retail index (-0.8 pct) with Carrefour (LSE: 0NPH.L - news) shares down 2 pct, Tesco (Swiss: TSCO.SW - news) -1.8 pct, Casino -1.4 pct

(*Analyst rankings from Thomson Reuters StarMine. Scale is from 1-star to 5-star with 5 being best. Analysts ranked on earnings accuracy as well as relative performance of recommendations over trailing 12-month & 24-month periods.)