Carrefour Group reported first-half 2026 recurring operating income (ROI) of €757m ($861.9m), up 4%, with France, Spain and Brazil posting a combined 9% increase.
On a constant currency basis, the increase was 1.8%.
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Net sales for the first six months reached €39.43bn, rising 2% at current exchange rates and 1.7% on a constant-currency basis.
However, operating income fell to €606m from €702m in the same period a year earlier.
Net income, group share was €30m, compared with a loss of €401m in H1 2025.
The change reflected a return to profit in continuing operations and a reduced loss from discontinued operations, which narrowed to €92m from €590m.
In France, ROI increased 13.8% to €300m.
Like-for-like (LfL) sales at former Cora and Match sites strengthened, reaching 4.6% growth in the second quarter compared with 2.6% in the first.
Carrefour also reaffirmed its target of €130m in synergies from that acquisition by 2027.
Spain posted a 7.3% rise in ROI to €177m while ROI in Brazil rose 5.8% to €359m.
LfL sales moved back into positive territory in the second quarter at 0.4%, after a 0.8% decline in the first quarter.
The other countries division, covering Belgium, Poland and Argentina, recorded a recurring operating loss of €34m, versus €12m a year earlier.
The company said this was due to margin pressures in Argentina.
Adjusted earnings per share increased 18.3% to €0.49 while net debt fell by €1.1bn year-on-year to €5.8bn.
For the second quarter, group sales totalled €22.71bn, up 1.8% at constant exchange rates.
The quarter witnessed macroeconomic and geopolitical volatility. Carrefour said the “conflict in the Middle East generated severe tensions on global markets and resulted in an increase in energy and fuel prices”.
It said operations remained resilient, with LfL sales growth of 1.9% in the second quarter, representing 2.1% in food and 0.4% in non-food.
As of 30 June 2026, the group operated 15,415 stores, compared with 15,241 at the end of December 2025 and 15,282 at the end of March 2026.
This represented a net increase of 133 stores during the second quarter.
Carrefour chairman and CEO Alexandre Bompard said: “The first half of 2026 was marked by the launch of Carrefour 2030, a plan firmly focused on customers and retail excellence.
“Despite global geopolitical uncertainties, our strong first-half financial performance reflects the momentum of this transformation.”
Carrefour completed the sale of its Romania business to Paval Holding on 30 June and maintained its full-year guidance, including earnings per share growth in the high single digits.
