Botswana retailer Sefalana reports half-year profit slip

Sefalana Holding Company Limited said sales rose in the first half of its financial year even as profit slipped, highlighting the margin pressure facing grocery and general retailers across the region.

Revenue for the six months ended Oct. 26, 2025, increased to 5.82 billion pula from 5.36 billion pula a year earlier, according to the company’s results release. Net income fell to 138.6 million pula from 156.4 million pula. Basic earnings per share from continuing operations declined to 0.552 pula from 0.624.

The Botswana based group operates supermarkets and wholesale outlets and has business interests that also include manufacturing and property. Over time, it has grown beyond its home market into other parts of Southern Africa, including Namibia and Lesotho, while keeping Botswana as its biggest revenue base.

Company disclosures show Botswana accounts for the majority of net sales, with Namibia the next largest contributor and Lesotho a smaller share. Retail operations make up most of the company’s sales, while property contributes a modest portion.

Chandra Chauhan, the founder and a leading figure in Sefalana’s modern expansion, has been closely tied to the group’s strategy and growth. The company credits him with steering a restructuring period that strengthened operations and supported a sharp increase in the group’s market value over the past two decades.

The half year statement did not spell out a detailed list of drivers behind the decline in earnings, but the figures reflect a pattern familiar to investors in consumer businesses: rising turnover paired with tighter profitability as costs and competition weigh on margins.

Sefalana has positioned itself as a major employer and supplier in Botswana’s retail economy, with company information putting its workforce at more than 8,100 people, up from a few hundred in its early years. The group has continued to broaden its footprint through new outlets and related services.