News & market updates

Rights issue · 1:10 at Rs 9.00 · XD Feb 2, 2026

Central Bank of Sri Lanka clarified that all transactions between residents must be in Sri Lankan Rupees and that it has not authorized merchants to accept or convert payments into foreign currency, with penalties up to Rs25,000,000 and/or up to three years' imprisonment. The instruction explicitly covers payments via credit/debit cards.

Sunshine Holdings reported 9MFY26 consolidated revenue up 8.1% to Rs. 48.9bn and EBIT up 1.2% to Rs. 7.5bn, while PAT fell 8.8% to Rs. 4.3bn. Healthcare remained the largest revenue driver but faced margin pressure from new pharma pricing, while agribusiness (Watawala) posted strong palm oil-led gains.

Dividend · Rs 0.25 · XD Feb 23, 2026

Second Interim dividend of LKR 0.25/share; XD 2026-02-23; record 2026-02-23; payable 2026-03-13; FY 2025/2026

Government has begun stakeholder consultations on a proposed Four-Band Tariff Policy under the 2026 Budget to rationalise tariffs, improve predictability for businesses and boost exports; the Finance and Industry ministries and the World Bank are gathering industry feedback before finalising reforms.

Cargills (Ceylon) Plc reported 3Q revenue of Rs.70.8bn (+14.5% YoY), EBITDA Rs.7.3bn (+29%) and PAT Rs.2.9bn (+79.3%), with 9M PAT at Rs.7.9bn (+53.8%). Operations were impacted by Cyclone Ditwah but have resumed; Restaurants will exit TGI Fridays and focus on KFC.

Salam Ramadan 2026 will run 27 Feb–1 Mar 2026 along Green Path, Colombo, and the organisers are inviting vendors, hotels, F&B operators, retailers and service providers to participate in a curated festival with 50+ stalls and citywide activations after attracting 15,000 visitors in 2025.

Pilot Corporation and local partner Writing Instruments Lanka opened a flagship Pilot Pens store at Havelock City Mall, offering Pilot’s full Japan-made product range. The store highlights Pilot’s “Be Green” initiative, using recycled plastic components.

The Colombo market ended marginally higher — ASPI +0.02% to 23,655.68 — on turnover of Rs.3.35 billion with foreign net outflows of Rs.64 million. Top positive contributors included NHL, CFIN, CARG, JKH and LLUB, while Samson International, UB Finance and Sierra Cables led turnover.

Sunshine Holdings (SUN) reported consolidated 9MFY26 revenue of LKR 48.9bn (+8.1% YoY), Group EBIT of LKR 7.5bn (+1.2% YoY) and PAT of LKR 4.3bn (-8.8% YoY). Healthcare remained the largest contributor with margin pressure from a new pricing mechanism, while Agribusiness (Watawala) delivered strong revenue and margin gains.

The Colombo Stock Exchange closed down for a second session as the ASPI fell 0.43% (103.17 pts) to 23,651.09 with turnover over Rs.3.54bn and foreign net selling of Rs.465.9mn. Top negatives included SFCL, CARG, CFIN and DOCK, while RAL and EMER were among gainers.

Ministry of Brands (backed by Akbar Brothers) will open Sri Lanka’s first off-price flagship store in Colombo on 16 Feb 2026, offering authentic global designer brands at discounts up to 90%. The 10,000 sq ft store will carry over 2,000 brands and a second location is planned at One Galle Face Mall.

NCPCSL has expanded its Ecolabel Sri Lanka program to cover shopping malls and supermarkets, launching the retail ecolabelling initiative at a CEO Forum on 11 February 2026. The SLAB‑accredited scheme, supported by Japan’s Eco Mark, promotes energy efficiency, waste reduction and sustainable management.

Bairaha Farms Plc commissioned a new 500-ton cold storage facility built with about $1 million investment to maintain −20°C conditions, introduce WMS and QR traceability, and strengthen stock management for local distribution and exports.

Sri Lanka will make sustainability reporting mandatory by 2028 for private companies with revenue above Rs. 10 billion, with the top 100 CSE-listed firms required to comply from 2025 under IFRS S1/S2. Parallel National Environmental Act reforms introduce strategic environmental assessment, load-based licensing and extended producer responsibility, and require board-level ownership of climate risks.

Associated Motorways (AMW) unveiled the all-new Nissan Almera in Sri Lanka, offered in VE Turbo CVT and VL Turbo CVT grades with a 1.0-litre HRA0 turbo engine (100 hp, 152 Nm) and a three-year/100,000 km warranty; vehicles are available for immediate purchase.

Colombo market opened in red as the ASPI fell 0.20% to 23,754.26 amid foreign net selling of Rs. 1.4 billion. Top negatives were JKH, SFCL, DOCK, TKYO and CARG, while LMF led food & beverage turnover and gained 9.08%.

DIMO powered the Mercedes‑Benz Pageant 2025, which set a new world record with 635 Mercedes‑Benz vehicles gathered on 8 Feb 2026 at BMICH, certified by BDO Partners. DIMO, as Sri Lanka's authorised Mercedes‑Benz distributor, supported the event marking the brand's 140th anniversary.

Renuka Foods PLC will subdivide shares one-for-two, increasing issued ordinary voting shares to 360,010,634 and non-voting shares to 14,613,600; the effective date will be notified to the CSE. Voting shares closed at Rs.72.40 and non-voting at Rs.55.80; net assets were Rs.33.69 per share (end‑Sept 2025).

Odel has been named the exclusive retail partner in Sri Lanka for Moose Clothing Company's official ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 merchandise, giving Odel first rights to sell the licensed collection. The range will also be available at Moose stores and online.

Ceylon Cold Stores (CCS) marked 160 years for its Elephant House brand, highlighting continued focus on innovation, sustainability and long-term growth. CCS, part of the John Keells consumer foods sector, said it will prioritise portfolio expansion, product reinvention, digitalisation and operational efficiency.

Colombo stock market ended the week up as the ASPI rose 0.14% to 23,801.96 while year-to-date net foreign selling approached Rs. 11.8 billion. Turnover was nearly Rs. 9.1 billion, led by banks and large crossings (notably Commercial Bank) with gains in ACME, JKH, Sampath, HNB, KZOO, Colombo Dockyard and Teejay.

Share split · 1:2 · XD Mar 20, 2026

Split issue

Odel PLC appointed Dr. Trevor Mendis as an Independent Non-Executive Director. Dr. Mendis is a strategist, former banker and academic with experience at ANZ, the UN and ADB and expertise in corporate governance and strategy.

Sri Lankans are increasingly using TikTok Search for everyday and festive cooking—preferring short videos that show visual steps, timing and diet adaptations (kevum, rice and curry, keto), which makes recipes more accessible and adaptable.