Consumer

Portuguese Retail Giant Sonae Posts 11% Profit Growth in Q1 2026, Achieves Record Quarterly Revenue

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Sonae, the Portuguese retail conglomerate, reported strong Q1 2026 results with 47 million euros in profits (up 11% YoY) and record quarterly consolidated revenue of 2.7 billion euros. The company achieved improved profitability with EBITDA margins expanding from 9.8% to 10.4%, driven by growth across all retail operations and store expansion. Net debt decreased to 1.7 billion euros, reflecting strong cash flow generation and continued deleveraging.

Romanian Travel Agency Christian Tour to List on Bucharest Stock Exchange in May 2026

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Christian Tour, one of Romania’s largest travel agencies founded in 1997, announces its Initial Public Offering on the Bucharest Stock Exchange under ticker symbol TRIP. The IPO will run from May 21-28, 2026, with share prices between 1.875 and 2.135 lei. The offering includes up to 69.5 million newly-issued shares and up to 14 million existing shares from founder Cristian Pandel’s investment vehicle. The company generated 983 million lei in 2025 sales, representing 14% growth year-over-year, with net profit of 31.9 million lei.

eMAG Cuts 3% of Workforce Ahead of Anticipated Economic Downturn

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eMAG, Romania’s largest e-commerce platform, laid off 3% of its workforce in April 2026 as a preemptive measure against anticipated economic downturn and declining consumer spending. CEO Tudor Manea stated the company observed declining real incomes starting in August 2025 and prepared organizational restructuring to withstand difficult economic conditions. Layoffs targeted offline operations (showroom closures) and content processing areas where AI adoption improved productivity. The company does not plan further restructuring in 2026.

Romanian High School Students Win National Business Plan Competition With Social Networking App Concept

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Friend Quest S.R.L., a student exercise company from Colegiul Economic ‘Partenie Cosma’ in Oradea formed by five 11th-grade students, won the national Business Plan 2026 competition organized by IMM Romania in partnership with CNDIPT. The company’s idea focuses on a web application dedicated to real socialization and authentic human connections.

Portuguese Festive Lighting Company Launches Ice Show Expansion Into Spain

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AM Experience by MK Illumination, a Portuguese company based in Braga specializing in festive illuminations and ice shows, reported 8 million euros in revenue for 2025, up from 6.8 million in 2024. The festive lighting division generated 5 million euros with 2.6 million from Spain operations. The company is expanding its ice show concept to Spain, launching in PuertoVenecia shopping center in Zaragoza in November with plans to expand to Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Corunha and Bilbao. The ice show is expected to attract 60,000 spectators and generate 1 million euros in revenue over seven weeks.

Milan’s Hotiday Claims Top Spot on Sifted 100 with Extraordinary 1330% Revenue Growth

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Hotiday, a Milan-based startup founded in 2022 by a trio of students, sublets hotel rooms and rents them to travelers. It topped the third annual Sifted 100 ranking of the 100 fastest-growing companies in Southern Europe, achieving a remarkable 1330.95% two-year revenue CAGR between 2023 and 2025. The company uses an innovative business model based on subletting rather than purchasing buildings or franchising.

Charlotte Tilbury Founder Threatens Contract Renegotiation as Puig Acquisition Talks Complicate

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Charlotte Tilbury’s founder is threatening to renegotiate her contract with Puig, which owns 78.5% of the British makeup brand. The founder holds the remaining 21.5% stake and is invoking a change of control clause ahead of potential acquisition by Estée Lauder. In 2024, Puig valued the entire brand at approximately 4 billion euros when it purchased an additional 5.4% stake for 215 million euros. The founder’s remaining stake could be worth around 850 million euros at current valuations, which may deter Estée Lauder from proceeding with the acquisition of Puig.

Austrian Wellness Group Therme Appoints Former EU Commission Official as Vice President for Global Impact

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Austrian wellness group Therme Group, founded and led by Romanian businessman Robert Hanea, appointed Ramona Chiriac as Vice President for Global Impact. Chiriac, who ended her mandate as head of the European Commission Representation in Romania in March 2026, will focus on strategic partnerships, institutional relations, and thought leadership on the future of wellness and human development. The appointment reflects Therme Group’s ambitions for international expansion and positioning at the intersection of wellbeing, cities, communities, culture, and societal transformation.

Dior Shifts Strategy to Win Back Customers With Price Restraint and Lower-Cost Offerings

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Dior is reassessing its pricing strategy to win back customers who have been deterred by luxury price increases over recent years. CEO Delphine Arnault confirmed the brand is working on leather goods and maintaining price caution, having frozen Lady Dior prices since 2023. Creative director Jonathan Anderson is driving brand renewal with lower-priced product offerings.