Kretinsky's EP Group earnings jump in 2025 after major acquisitions

Wed, 03rd Jun 2026 16:23

PRAGUE, June 3 (Reuters) - Czech investor Daniel Kretinsky's ⁠main vehicle, EP Group, reported a jump in 2025 revenues and core earnings on Wednesday as it continued to expand in retail, ‌logistics and energy.

* Major 2025 acquisitions and consolidation included German-based wholesale and retail firm ⁠METRO, IDS - the operator of Royal Mail and ⁠GLS, and a higher stake in Slovak electricity producer Slovenske Elektrarne.

* EP Group, owned by Kretinsky with several managers holding small stakes, reported underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of €5.3 billion, ‌up from €3.6 billion in 2024, on revenue rising to €66.8 billion from €27.5 billion.

* The group holds investments in energy, logistics, retail, media and other businesses.

* Its majority-owned energy arm controls EPH, Slovak Slovenske Elektrarne, and German coal mining and power firm LEAG, among others.

* "Through a series of strategically significant acquisitions, we substantially ‌expanded and diversified our portfolio, creating a platform that serves essential societal needs across energy, food distribution and logistics," ‌Kretinsky said in a statement.

* On a full-year pro-forma basis, the acquisitions would have lifted EBITDA to nearly €7 billion and revenue to €81 billion, the company said.

* "We will keep looking out for additional opportunities complementing our existing businesses, but always in a financially ‌prudent way and with the ambition to maintain or improve the credit rating of each EPH, IDS and METRO, and thereby enhance the overall credit quality ⁠of ⁠EP Group," Kretinsky said in EP's annual report.

* In ‌November, EPH formed a joint venture with TotalEnergies covering gas-fired power plants in several European countries, and took a 4.2% stake in Total. The deal closed in April.

* ‌EP Group has also made an offer to buy out shareholders of French retailer Fnac Darty, with completion expected in the second half of the year. (Reporting by Jan Lopatka. Editing by Mark Potter)