By Ukumbi Afrika 
Nairobi – Kenya's East African Breweries Plc (EABL) reported a strong financial performance for the year ended June 2026, with pretax profit rising 43% as higher sales across its markets boosted earnings.
The brewer announced that pretax profit increased to 27.66 billion Kenyan shillings (about $214 million) from 19.31 billion shillings recorded a year earlier.
Revenue also strengthened during the period, with net sales climbing 13% to 146 billion shillings, reflecting resilient consumer demand across the company's operations in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
The results come as EABL continues to navigate a major shareholder transition. In December 2025, Diageo, the London-listed maker of Johnnie Walker whisky and Captain Morgan rum, agreed to sell its 65% stake in EABL to Japan's Asahi Holdings in a $2.3 billion deal aimed at reducing debt and supporting its broader turnaround strategy.
Earlier this year, a Kenyan court dismissed an attempt by local beer distributor Bia Tosha to halt the transaction. The case, filed in January, was linked to a separate legal dispute dating back to 2016.
Commenting on the ownership change, EABL reiterated that the deal remains a matter between shareholders.
"This transaction is strictly between shareholders and does not involve EABL as a party, " the company said.
Reflecting its stronger earnings, the brewer declared a total dividend of 12.70 Kenyan shillings per share, representing a 59% increase compared with the previous financial year.
At the prevailing exchange rate, $1 = 129.25 Kenyan shillings.
Source: Reuters
Reporting: George Obulutsa & Vincent Mumo Nzilani
Editing: Clarence Fernandez