Strong store sales carry Robinsons Retail through tough Q1
Gokongwei-led Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. (RRHI) reported a 35.6 percent drop in attributable net income to ₱489 million in the first quarter of 2026 from ₱760 million in the same period last year.
The firm said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange that its lower earnings are mainly due to higher interest expenses related to the DFI Group share
buyback and acquisition financing, and losses from equity investments, both of which are non-operational items excluded from core earnings.
RRHI posted a 6.2 percent improvement in core net earnings to ₱1.3 billion in the first quarter of 2026 due to double-digit sales growth and continued operating discipline.
The firm said net sales rose by 10.3 percent to ₱52.8 billion, supported by healthy blended same-store sales growth (SSSG) of 4.1 percent, incremental revenues from store expansion, and the full-quarter contribution of Premiumbikes.
The improvement in SSSG was driven by higher basket sizes. As a result, operating income increased by 3.7 percent year-on-year to ₱2.0 billion.
“While our business demonstrated resilience in the first quarter, we continue to be mindful of the heightened uncertainty related to the Middle East conflict,” said RRHI President and CEO Stanley C. Co.
He noted that, “Ongoing geopolitical risks are already translating into higher operating costs and softer consumer confidence as we enter the second quarter. Against this backdrop, we remain focused on executing well in the areas within our control.”
As of March 31, 2026, RRHI has a total of 2,782 stores consisting of 805 Food Stores, 1,187 Drugstores, 51 Department Stores, 234 DIY Stores, and 505 Specialty Stores. It also has over 2,100 franchised stores of TGP. (James A. Loyola)