Finance
Prosus doubles half-year core profit amid e-commerce pivot
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on November 24, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
Company
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on November 24, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 20, 2026
Prosus' core profit surged 99% due to strong e-commerce performance, with significant acquisitions in Europe and investments in India and Latin America.
By Leo Marchandon
(Reuters) -Dutch technology investor Prosus reported a 99% surge in its adjusted half-year core profit on Monday, driven by strong performances across its digital services and e-commerce portfolio.
Its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew to $423 million from $213 million a year ago, while revenue jumped 22% to $3.6 billion, driven by robust results from its iFood and OLX platforms.
Prosus also confirmed its full-year guidance.
Majority-owned by South Africa's Naspers and the biggest shareholder of Chinese tech giant Tencent, Prosus is carrying out a major transformation from a passive investment firm into a hands-on operator of its e-commerce assets.
In Europe, it is integrating its 4.1 billion euro ($4.7 billion) acquisition of Just Eat Takeaway. It also announced a $1.3 billion deal to acquire French classifieds platform La Centrale in September, while Reuters reported in November it had shown early-stage interest in German auto marketplace Mobile.de.
In India, Prosus has invested $350 million in ride-hailing firm Rapido and $146 million in a stake in online travel agent Ixigo. Meanwhile, its Latin American iFood unit bought a stake in financial technology firm CRMBonus and was reportedly in advanced talks to buy benefits company Alelo for $905 million.
"We remain disciplined in managing our portfolio by divesting non-strategic businesses and allocating that capital towards our ecosystem strategy," Prosus said in a statement.
Divestitures generated $1.2 billion in proceeds in the first half, and the company expects to reach $2 billion by the end of the fiscal year.
Prosus added it had $18.3 billion in cash reserves, complemented by a further $2.5 billion available from an unused credit line.
It is committed to pursuing high-profile acquisitions across Europe, Latin America and India, Chief Financial Officer Nico Marais told Reuters. It also invested more than $100 million in the first half in developing agentic AI models tailored for its platforms.
Prosus' majority owner Naspers saw revenue grow 20% to $4.1 billion in the first half of the year, while adjusted EBITDA grew 96% to $433 million.
($1 = 0.8684 euros)
(Reporting by Leo Marchandon in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)
EBITDA stands for Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization. It is a financial metric used to evaluate a company's operating performance by focusing on earnings generated from core business operations.
E-commerce refers to the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet. It encompasses various online transactions, including retail sales, online banking, and digital marketplaces.
Core profit refers to the profit generated from a company's primary business activities, excluding any income from non-operational sources. It provides a clearer picture of a company's operational efficiency.
Digital services are services delivered through digital platforms, often involving technology and the internet. Examples include online banking, e-commerce, and digital marketing services.
A cash reserve is a portion of a company's cash that is set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies. It ensures liquidity and financial stability.
Explore more articles in the Finance category
