Its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose 11.4% on the year, to RON54 million, in the first nine months of 2017, and its operating profit climbed 6.7% to RON44.1 million.
The group’s net profit reached RON41 million in January-September 2017, up 17.5% on the year, amid lower costs with the profit tax following the switch to the lump-sum tax system.
The 21.7% increase in KFC sales, to RON365 million, was the main sales driver, due both to the strong performance of restaurants in Romania (+19%) and the Republic of Moldova (+14%), and to the opening of two restaurants in Italy in the first half of 2017.
Sales of restaurants in Romania saw a year-on-year increase of 13% in January-September 2017, on the backdrop of strong performance of Drive-Thru restaurants, the foodcourt units (within shopping centers) and of restaurants outside of Bucharest.
Pizza Hut restaurant chain reported total sales of RON81 million in January-September 2017, up 16.2% on the year, mainly due to higher sales on the delivery segment. Sphera registered total sales of RON387 million in Romania, of RON8.2 million in Italy and of RON6.1 million in the Republic of Moldova.
The company’s shareholders include Lunic Franchising and Consulting Ltd. (22.34%), Tatika Investments Ltd. (27.33%), M.B.L. Computers SRL (23%), Wellkept Group SA (16.34%) and Anasa Properties SRL (10.99%).
Sphera, the only group of restaurants listed on the Romanian Stock Exchange, plans open 23 Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell units in 2018.