Naspers profit jumps to $5.6 billion in H1 2026

Naspers, the internet and media group led by South African billionaire Koos Bekker, posted impressive first-half results for its 2026 fiscal year, booking nearly $5.6 billion in profit on the back of rising e-commerce activity and a broader rollout of AI tools across its platforms.

This marks a clear improvement from the same period a year earlier and underscores the company’s effort to streamline operations and tighten execution in key markets. The group said the first half benefited from improving fundamentals across Latin America, Europe and India, alongside stronger earnings from its equity-accounted investments, including Tencent.

Naspers posts strong first-half gains

The group’s profit rose 23.74 percent to $5.58 billion, up from $4.51 billion in the first half of 2025. Growth was driven mainly by iFood in Latin America, OLX in Europe and PayU in India. Headline earnings increased 13 percent to $1.7 billion, supported by higher income from its associates and improved profitability across core units.

Earnings from continuing operations rose 22 percent to $2.4 billion, compared with $2 billion a year earlier. Free cash flow also strengthened, climbing from $854 million to $1.3 billion, reflecting tighter cost control and better working-capital discipline.

iFood, OLX and PayU fuel growth amid AI push

Food delivery remained one of Naspers’ most consistent growth drivers. iFood lifted revenue 32 percent and expanded adjusted EBITDA 57 percent to $184 million as demand held firm in Brazil. The early integration of Despegar supported an uptick in travel bookings, while PayU’s payments and credit units returned to profit, helping lift revenue in India by 20 percent.

In Europe, OLX delivered another strong showing with a 22 percent rise in revenue and a 52 percent jump in adjusted EBITDA, lifted by strength in motors and real estate. The acquisitions of Just Eat Takeaway.com’s local units and La Centrale broadened Naspers’ marketplace ecosystem and improved its AI capabilities. The group has also moved to unlock up to $2 billion through selective asset sales.

CEO Fabricio Bloisi said Naspers is sharpening its focus on execution and customer reach. “We are building with AI at the core, and more than 20,000 AI agents already help us scale faster and make better decisions,” he said.

Naspers reaches new heights with unmatched NAV

Naspers now spans e-commerce, media and technology operations across five continents, serving more than two billion customers. Bekker, who holds a 0.85 percent stake, continues to shape the company’s long-term direction.

Since the start of its buyback program, Naspers has unlocked $63 billion in value, narrowing its discount and delivering one of the strongest net asset value (NAV) improvements among major global tech companies.