London, May 4, 2026, 16:26 BST
Reckitt Benckiser Group plc’s Bangladesh arm posted a 28.31% plunge in first-quarter profit, piling on more trouble for the Dettol and Durex parent after group-level numbers started 2026 on the back foot. Profit after tax for Reckitt Benckiser Bangladesh came in at Tk10.99 crore, down from Tk15.33 crore, and revenue slipped to Tk132.61 crore versus Tk147.34 crore for the January-March stretch, according to a report.
Timing comes into play here—emerging markets have been one of the steadier spots in Reckitt’s performance. In its April update, the UK company reported Core Reckitt like-for-like net revenue up 1.3%. Emerging markets jumped 7.6%. Europe dropped 4.2%, North America down 0.9%. Like-for-like revenue, which leaves out effects from currencies, deals, and sales, gives a clearer picture of organic growth.
Bangladesh’s numbers slipped further down the income statement. According to DSE news posted by AmarStock, earnings per share dropped to Tk23.26, down from Tk32.45 in the previous year, while net operating cash flow per share edged lower to Tk75.60 compared with Tk79.64.
The subsidiary turned in an improved 2025, posting an 8.64% profit increase to Tk817 million, driven by stronger sales and reduced finance expenses. Still, The Financial Express noted a 9.5% drop in first-quarter sales, down to Tk1.33 billion, as demand for hygiene products like Dettol and Harpic cooled off from their pandemic highs.
Chief Executive Kris Licht is sticking with the full-year sales outlook at the parent company. “Core Reckitt delivered Q1 LFL net revenue growth of 1.3%,” Licht said in the update, but flagged the drag from soft seasonal illness trends, sluggish European segments, and ongoing geopolitical disruption. Reckitt
Investor sentiment on the outlook remains mixed. Last month, Reuters noted that Reckitt fell short of the 2.9% like-for-like revenue growth forecast in its own analyst survey and flagged that first-half margins would slide by about 200 basis points compared to last year—so, a drop of two percentage points. Harsharan Mann of Aviva Investors called the growth “broad-based muted,” while JPMorgan’s Celine Pannuti saw the latest figures casting doubt on the full-year goals. Reuters
The trouble is, those negatives might stick around longer than hoped. Reckitt’s Russian arm is rolling out homegrown products to fill gaps left by its hygiene lines, following stricter EU sanctions, according to Reuters. Bernstein’s Callum Elliot flagged that the Russia setback puts the company’s full-year sales guidance in doubt for investors.
Rising costs are hitting peers, but responses vary. Unilever plans to raise prices in “small doses” to manage higher expenses. Procter & Gamble flagged an estimated $1 billion after-tax profit impact in fiscal 2027, blaming pricier oil. Colgate-Palmolive is bracing for about $300 million in additional raw material and logistics costs this year. Reuters
Reckitt hasn’t let up on buybacks. According to a May 1 filing, the company snapped up 185,000 ordinary shares on April 30, paying an average of 4,676.56 pence per share, volume-weighted. These shares are headed for treasury—so they’ll stay on the company’s books, not cancelled.
In a separate filing dated May 1, Reckitt reported 674,005,752 ordinary shares outstanding, with total voting rights standing at 640,814,501 once treasury shares are excluded—these are the figures investors use for UK holding disclosures.
Reckitt shares in London finished May 1 at 4,713 pence, a gain of 0.75%, Reuters data showed. With the London Stock Exchange shuttered for the Early May Bank Holiday on May 4, the next usual trading update comes Tuesday.
Right now, it comes down to a key issue: can emerging markets and non-seasonal brands pick up the slack, as Europe, cold-and-flu lines, and cost pressures weigh? Investors will get a closer look at Reckitt’s plans during its Digital Science session on May 14. Half-year numbers arrive July 29.
