Bata Zambia Reports 24% Fall in Earnings per Share for 2025
Zambia Bata Shoe Company PLC has warned shareholders that its earnings per share (EPS) for the financial year ended 31 December 2025 declined by about 24 percent compared with the previous year.
In a trading statement released through the Lusaka Securities Exchange (LuSE), the footwear manufacturer said EPS fell to K0.44 in 2025, down from K0.58 recorded in 2024.
The company attributed the decline mainly to reduced gross margins, which were affected by a provision for aged inventory. According to the statement, the inventory relates to stock received in the previous year that encountered logistical challenges.
The company also reported an increase in operating expenses during the period. This was largely driven by higher depreciation charges linked to capital investments in new and refurbished retail outlets as well as the acquisition of a new gumboot production machine.
Despite the decline, the company indicated that the investments were part of efforts to strengthen its operational capacity and retail footprint.
The board said the company’s audited financial results for the year ended 31 December 2025 are expected to be released through the exchange and published in the local press on or before 6 March 2026.
Shareholders have since been advised to exercise caution when trading in the company’s securities until the full results are published.
The announcement was issued by company secretary Amicus Corporate Services and sponsored by Pangaea Securities Limited, a member of the Lusaka Securities Exchange regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Zambia.
