Oct 29 (Reuters) - French employee benefits company Pluxee on Thursday delivered earnings for the fiscal year 2026 above market expectations, and said that fiscal year 2027 would be a "transition year" for the group as Brazil's meal-voucher reform weighs on earnings.
The company's sales for the year ending on August 31, 2026 came in broadly in line with expectations, while recurring earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of €488 million ($491.13 million) beat the forecast of €474 million seen in a company-compiled consensus.
The group guides for at least €440 million of recurring EBITDA for the fiscal year 2027, with the year-on-year decline reflecting an extended rebase scenario in Brazil triggered by PAT reform and an uncertain environment.
"Against this backdrop, we are acting decisively," Pluxee Chief Executive Officer Aurélien Sonet said in a statement.
Pluxee's revenue in Latin America came in at €525 million for its fiscal year 2026, constituting 40% of the group revenue compared with 38% a year ago, and remained a major profit engine and growth contributor.
The group said it intends to hike its dividend payout by about 70% to €0.65 for 2026, representing an increase in the distribution ratio to 40% from at least 25%.
($1 = 0.8959 euros)
(Reporting by Ronan Corcoran, editing by Izabela Niemiec)