Sphera Franchise Group posts record third-quarter results amid tighter cost controls

Sphera Franchise Group (BVB: SFG), Romania’s largest food service operator, reported record third-quarter results for 2025, marking its strongest Q3 performance to date in terms of sales and profitability. The company said on November 17 that the improvement reflects stricter cost discipline and rising contributions from its operations in Italy and the Republic of Moldova.

Total sales reached RON 405.9 million in Q3, up 6.1% compared with Q2 and 0.6% above the level recorded in the same quarter of 2024.

The group noted that although revenue growth remained modest, higher personnel expenses and other operating costs continued to pressure margins, following trends observed in the first half of the year. The impact was mitigated during the quarter by tighter cost-control measures that supported profitability.

Restaurant operating profit rose to RON 46.4 million in Q3, a 71.4% increase from the previous quarter. EBITDA reached RON 43.6 million, up 65.5% compared with Q2. Normalised net profit stood at RON 25.1 million, with the margin narrowing by 1.4pp from Q3 2024.

Sales in Romania amounted to RON 346.6 mln, broadly unchanged from the same period last year. Revenue from Italy rose 3.3% y/y to RON 52.2 mln, while the Republic of Moldova delivered a 24.8% y/y increase, reaching RON 7.1 mln.

The group said that the regional revenue split shifted slightly compared with 2024, with Italy and the Republic of Moldova accounting for a larger share of total sales.

In Q3, Romania represented 85.4% of consolidated revenue, Italy 12.9% and the Republic of Moldova 1.7%.

(Photo source: Romolo Tavani/Dreamstime.com)