Reckitt Benckiser (Bangladesh), one of the leading FMCG company in Bangladesh has published its H1 2026 financial report. The company has posted a net profit of BDT 304.0 million, up 3.5% year on year, even as revenue declined 2.1% to BDT 2,750.6 million. This is the first half-yearly revenue decline in the last five half-years.
Reckitt | Revenue De-growth in H1 2026
Revenue fell 2.1% to BDT 2,750.6 million in H1 2026, from BDT 2,808.6 million in H1 2025. This follows a lumpy pattern over the period: revenue grew 6.6% in H1 2023, was nearly flat in H1 2024, rebounded 4.9% in H1 2025, and has now declined for the first time in the five half-years compared. Revenue in H1 2026 remains close to its H1 2024 level, so the business has essentially been flat over the last two years even though profit has kept growing.
Gross Margin Holds Steady Despite the Revenue Decline
Gross profit fell 1.8% to BDT 1,288.1 million from BDT 1,311.5 million, a smaller decline than the fall in revenue, because cost of sales fell slightly faster, down 2.3% to BDT 1,462.5 million. As a result, the gross margin improved marginally to 46.8% from 46.7%, holding close to the middle of its range over the past five half-years (46.6%-48.3%).
Profit Growth Driven by Lower Finance Costs
Operating profit declined slightly, down 0.9% to BDT 420.6 million from BDT 424.6 million, as the dip in gross profit was largely offset by lower net operating expenses, which was 2.1% lower compared to same period last year. The operating margin actually improved slightly to 15.3% from 15.1%, since expenses fell faster than revenue. This is a reversal from the previous two years, when net operating expenses had grown faster than revenue and weighed on the operating margin.
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Below operating profit, the picture improved sharply. Finance income rose 63.4% to BDT 30.0 million from BDT 18.4 million, continuing a steady climb from just BDT 3.2 million in H1 2022. Finance costs, meanwhile, fell 58.0% to BDT 10.7 million from BDT 25.6 million, reversing the sharp rise seen in H1 2025. Profit before WPPF grew 5.4% to BDT 439.9 million. Tax expense grew faster, up 10.7% to BDT 115.0 million from BDT 103.8 million, which took the effective tax rate to 27.4% from 26.1%, the highest in the five half-years compared.
Net profit reached BDT 304.0 million, up 3.5% from BDT 293.7 million in H1 2025, which is the highest in the last five years. The net margin improved to 11.05% from 10.46%.
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