East African Breweries Plc (EABL), the Kenya-based unit of Diageo Plc, reported a substantial profit increase for the financial year ending June 2026, marking its fastest growth in four years. The company's net income rose by 25% to 15.25 billion shillings, equivalent to $117.8 million. This surge in profitability is attributed to lower finance costs and a stabilization of the Kenyan shilling, which helped mitigate foreign exchange losses.
The improved financial health follows a period where EABL’s annual profit growth had slowed for two consecutive years. In the year through June 2025, the company's profit increased by 12% to 12.2 billion shillings ($94.4 million), with net revenue climbing by 4% to 128.8 billion shillings. This previous growth was also partly due to reduced foreign-exchange losses and lower interest rates.
Looking at earlier performance, EABL also reported strong results in the six months ending December 2025. During this period, net income jumped by 38% to 11.2 billion shillings ($86.8 million), and net revenue increased by 11% to 75.5 billion shillings. This was the second consecutive year that first-half profit climbed, primarily due to lower finance costs. The company had also seen a 19% increase in net income to 8.1 billion shillings ($62.7 million) for the six months through December 2024, the first such rise in three years, as the average cost of living in the region decreased.
