Puregold Price Club Inc., one of the largest grocery retailers in the country, reported an 11 percent increase in consolidated net income for the first half of the year on the back of robust sales growth and expanding profit margins.

In a regulatory filing with the Philippine Stock Exchange, Puregold said net profit rose to ₱5.87 billion in the first six-months of the year from ₱5.3 billion in the same period last year.

Consolidated revenues climbed 10.6 percent to ₱121.48 billion from ₱109.88 billion in the prior-year period. Puregold attributed its financial performance to strong top-line momentum and improved gross margins, which were bolstered by continued support from suppliers.

Same-store sales growth, a key metric evaluating performance across existing locations open for at least a year, remained positive across the company’s retail brands. Puregold-branded supermarket stores recorded a 3.7 percent gain in same-store sales, driven by larger average basket sizes per customer.

Meanwhile, the membership warehouse chain S&R registered a 13 percent surge in same-store sales, primarily propelled by higher customer foot traffic.

The retail group’s consolidated gross profit for the period expanded 13 percent to ₱23.66 billion from ₱20.95 billion recorded in the same period last year. Other operating income rose 5.9 percent to ₱1.97 billion from ₱1.86 billion.

Consequently, gross operating income advanced 12.4 percent to ₱25.63 billion from ₱22.81 billion, yielding a gross operating margin of 21 percent.

Operating expenses grew 12 percent to ₱16.74 billion from ₱14.99 billion year-on-year, driven by ongoing operational requirements and store network activity. Net other expenses increased to ₱1.24 billion for the first six months from ₱966 million in the corresponding period in 2025.

As of the end of June 2026, Puregold operated a nationwide network of 794 retail locations. The company's footprint includes 688 Puregold supermarket stores, 33 S&R Membership shopping warehouses, and 73 S&R New York Style Quick Service Restaurants. (James A. Loyola)