Ukrainian retailers increased profits before wave of attacks on warehouses

The total income of Ukrainian retailers that filed comparable financial statements for the first six months of 2025 and 2026 increased by 18% to 817.14 billion hryvnias. Total profit rose by 17%, however the share of profitable companies decreased from 65% to 61%.

According to Opendatabot, the study included 2,073 companies that filed financial reports for the first two quarters of both last year and the current year.

Their total revenue increased from 692.29 billion hryvnias to 817.14 billion hryvnias. Growth was recorded by 1,169 companies, while revenues decreased for 702 retailers.

The total profit of the studied group grew from 14.91 billion hryvnias to 17.44 billion hryvnias. At the same time, the number of profitable companies decreased: if in the first half of 2025 positive financial results were shown by 1,354 companies, then in 2026 - 1,272. Their share respectively decreased from 65% to 61%.

ATB remains the largest retailer

ATB-Market remains the leader of Ukrainian retail in terms of revenue. In the first half of the year, the company earned 135.99 billion hryvnias in revenue compared to 117.15 billion hryvnias a year earlier – growth amounted to 18.84 billion hryvnias, or 16%.

Second place is taken by Silpo-Food with revenue of 59.55 billion hryvnias, up 18% year-on-year. Third was the Avrora chain - Vygidna Pokupka company increased revenue by 30%, to 28.26 billion hryvnias.

The top five also included Fora with 26.83 billion hryvnias and Comfy Trade with 20.16 billion hryvnias. Next were NOVUS - 19.65 billion hryvnias, EVA chain - 18.02 billion hryvnias, Metro - 17.70 billion hryvnias, Petrol Contract, which operates under the WOG brand, - 16.35 billion hryvnias and Varus - 13.72 billion hryvnias.

Among the largest companies, Avrora and Fora grew particularly fast: their revenues for the year increased by 30% and 29%, respectively. In monetary terms, the largest growth was provided by ATB - 18.84 billion hryvnias and Silpo - 9.16 billion hryvnias.

The number of retailers continues to grow

In total, as of mid-August, 41,235 companies were operating in the retail trade sector in Ukraine. Their number has been increasing for the fifth year in a row.

Since the beginning of the year, 969 new companies have been registered - 32% more than in the same period of 2025. The net increase was 796 companies, as more new businesses opened than ceased operations.

This figure has almost returned to the pre-war level: in the same period before the start of the full-scale invasion, the net increase was 804 companies.

New attacks on warehouses are not yet reflected in the reporting

At the same time, financial indicators for the first half of the year do not take into account the large-scale Russian attacks on the warehouse and distribution infrastructure of Ukrainian business, which sharply intensified in July and August. Opendatabot notes that the consequences of these attacks may be visible already in the next financial statements of companies.

According to the estimate of the Minister of Agrarian Policy Taras Vysotsky, which he gave at the end of August, Russia destroyed about 90% of the logistics through which food retail ensured supply. At the same time, the minister emphasized that the figure is approximate - "conditionally speaking" - and does not mean the physical destruction of exactly 90% of all warehouse spaces in the country.

Among the networks whose logistics infrastructure has recently suffered from Russian attacks were named Fora, Varus, Silpo and NOVUS. Also damaged or destroyed were the distribution and warehouse facilities of Comfy, Budynok Igrashok, Roshen and other companies.

Due to the loss of large logistics centers, retailers have to disperse stocks, look for alternative warehouses and move to more direct deliveries from manufacturers. The Ministry of Agrarian Policy warned that such logistics will be more expensive, more complex and longer, although the authorities currently do not expect a systemic shortage of basic products.

Thus, the results of the first half of the year record the state of the industry before a new wave of large-scale losses of logistics infrastructure. The real impact of the attacks on costs, margins and profitability of retail chains will become clearer from the next quarterly reports.

Sources: Opendatabot