Watawala Plantations PLC is a Sri Lankan agribusiness and part of Sunshine Holdings PLC that focuses on oil palm cultivation, dairy farming and other plantation crops.
WATA shares are up 14.6% over the past year and last closed at Rs 46.40 on Sep 30, 2026.
Rs 46.40
+0.43%
Price history
+14.57%
Monthly seasonality
Monthly total returns by year and calendar month
Year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
2026
+3.2
-6.3
-7.8
+21.7
-5.0
-6.9
-3.8
-2.3
+10.5
+0.0
+0.0
+0.0
2025
+23.0
-10.5
+0.9
+6.4
+10.4
-0.3
+8.5
+1.4
+23.0
+8.6
-0.4
-3.1
2024
+4.1
+0.7
+15.8
+3.5
+2.9
+3.5
-11.3
-1.3
+9.9
+7.0
+0.7
+25.4
2023
-1.1
-2.3
+4.8
-1.3
-8.0
+2.9
+8.6
-2.1
+2.3
-4.1
-1.9
+1.3
2022
+32.6
-23.3
-41.6
+15.4
+12.2
-13.4
-4.0
+4.8
-3.3
-8.5
-2.4
-2.6
2021
+15.1
-16.2
+3.6
-11.2
+9.3
-4.7
+3.6
+0.7
+2.7
+25.7
+58.1
+16.9
2020
+0.4
-7.7
-21.8
+0.0
+0.0
+6.0
+4.3
+2.0
+22.4
+9.6
+43.1
-0.7
2019
+13.3
-15.4
+0.5
+1.1
+0.0
+4.2
+18.7
+1.2
+5.5
+4.8
+1.5
-2.3
2018
+4.3
+3.8
-3.7
+2.8
-9.4
-6.3
-4.8
-8.3
+1.8
-10.7
+8.0
-9.7
2017
+15.7
+0.4
+6.5
+26.5
+7.4
-6.9
+9.7
-0.3
+3.2
-14.3
-6.7
-1.1
2016
-17.7
+0.0
-6.5
+12.3
-1.4
-2.9
-8.0
+1.6
+2.1
+6.2
-5.4
+2.6
2015
+6.9
-1.5
+1.0
+0.5
+2.0
+3.4
+13.7
+0.0
+0.8
+4.1
-3.2
-0.8
2014
+4.0
-7.8
+3.2
+15.3
+13.3
+5.5
+12.6
+6.6
+6.8
+19.1
-15.0
+7.4
2013
+5.0
-7.2
-3.4
+5.4
+7.6
-4.7
-8.3
-9.9
+5.0
+0.0
-5.7
+0.0
2012
+0.0
+0.0
+0.0
-8.0
-25.0
+20.3
-3.6
+18.8
+34.7
-0.8
-5.5
-0.8
Average
+7.8
-6.7
-3.5
+6.4
+1.2
+0.0
+2.4
+0.9
+8.5
+3.3
+4.7
+2.3
ASPI average
+3.1
-2.7
-4.7
+2.0
+0.2
+0.8
+3.1
+2.2
+3.2
-0.1
+1.0
+3.0
Median
+4.7
-6.7
+0.7
+4.4
+2.4
-0.3
+3.6
+0.7
+5.0
+4.5
-2.2
-0.8
% up
86%
21%
57%
79%
57%
47%
53%
53%
93%
57%
36%
36%
P/E
19.3
P/B
15.76
EPS
Rs 2.41
Div Yield
5.39%
Market Cap
Rs 47.2B
Beta
0.59
ROE
81.8%
Op Margin
47.2% (-1.6pp)
Fundamentals
Line
FY2026
FY2025
FY2024
FY2023
FY2022
FY2021
FY2020
FY2019
Revenue
Rs 9.4B
+18.9%
Rs 7.9B
-4.5%
Rs 8.3B
-5.1%
Rs 8.8B
+35.4%
Rs 6.5B
+64.6%
Rs 3.9B
+18.2%
Rs 3.3B
+8.0%
Rs 3.1B
-37.7%
Operating profit
Rs 3.7B
+30.4%
Rs 2.9B
+8.0%
Rs 2.7B
-9.2%
Rs 2.9B
-12.4%
Rs 3.3B
+84.1%
Rs 1.8B
+55.9%
Rs 1.2B
+12.5%
Rs 1.0B
-9.9%
Net profit
Rs 2.3B
+23.6%
Rs 1.9B
-19.6%
Rs 2.3B
+0.6%
Rs 2.3B
-32.6%
Rs 3.5B
+108.0%
Rs 1.7B
+103.7%
Rs 816.5M
+7.0%
Rs 763.0M
-18.7%
EPS
2.34
+28.6%
1.82
-84.3%
11.60
-0.3%
11.63
-31.6%
17.01
+108.0%
8.18
+99.5%
4.10
-1.7%
4.17
+0.2%
Compared with the same period a year earlier.
Per-share figures are as reported, not adjusted for splits.
Recent dividends
2026 · finalRs 0.80
2026 · first interimRs 1.70
2025 · finalRs 1.30
2025 · second interimRs 1.40
2024Rs 1.60
2025 · first interimRs 8.00
2024 · finalRs 7.00
2024 · first interimRs 8.00
Peer comparison9 peers in Plantations & Agriculture
Watawala Plantations PLC is a Sri Lankan agribusiness and part of Sunshine Holdings PLC that focuses on oil palm cultivation, dairy farming and other plantation crops. The Company is the largest cultivator of oil palm in Sri Lanka and is identified in the report as the first RSPO‑certified palm oil producer in South Asia.
The Group’s core operations centre on integrated palm oil production, combining plantation management, harvesting and oil extraction with precision agronomy, mechanisation and data-driven practices to improve yields and operational efficiency while emphasising sustainability and resource stewardship.
Watawala also operates a dairy business through its subsidiary Lonach Dairy Limited and manages other plantation crop activities; the dairy operations are being developed with investments in herd quality, processing capability and environmental infrastructure to support long‑term scalability and domestic food production. All operations described in the report are conducted in Sri Lanka.
Watawala remains strongly profitable, but its valuation is unusually demanding relative to plantation peers. Earnings growth is positive while the latest quarter’s margins softened.
Colombo Stock Exchange closed lower, with the ASPI down 0.24% (51.79 pts) at 21,262.13 on Rs2.23 billion turnover. SMB Finance, Watawala, Sampath Bank and Lion Brewery were top positive contributors while Dialog, Melstacorp and Commercial Bank led declines; a mandatory offer for Industrial Asphalts fell through after the SEC refused a share transfer due to the company being on the CSE watchlist.
Colombo Stock Exchange closed down as the ASPI fell 0.32% to 21,313.92 with market turnover Rs 1.55 billion and banks leading turnover at Rs 309.87 million. Movers included Carson Cumberbatch, Commercial Bank, Central Finance and Watawala (up) and Dialog, Aitken Spence, LOLC and Ceylon Cold Stores (down); Anilana said Sampath Bank acquired its hotel properties and is contesting the action in court.
The Colombo market opened the month lower as the ASPI fell 0.1% to 21,318.31, with turnover above Rs.2.3bn and foreign net outflows of Rs.612.5m. Selling late in the session hit JKH, BREW, DFCC, DIAL and MELS, while CCS and Asia Siyaka rose.
Boutique Agency Network (BAN) won Gold at the Dragons of Sri Lanka Awards for Munchee's Father's Day campaign 'Piya Kirula' in the Integrated Marketing Campaign category, marking a second consecutive year of Gold in that category; BAN also won Silver for Watawala in Best Innovative Concept.
Consumer Staples (FMCG)
Ada Derana·Aug 11, 2026·Earnings & resultsPositive
Sunshine Holdings (SUN) reported consolidated 1QFY27 revenue of LKR 18.5 billion, up 16.6% YoY, and profit after tax of LKR 1.4 billion, up 6.0% YoY, while gross margin fell 366bp and EBIT declined 7.8%. The group cited regulatory pricing pressure in healthcare and higher agribusiness costs and formed a JV with Zydus to expand local pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Sunshine Holdings PLC reported consolidated revenue of Rs. 18.5 billion in 1QFY27, up 16.6% YoY, with profit after tax rising 6.0% to Rs. 1.4 billion while EBIT fell 7.8% to Rs. 2.4 billion and gross margin declined to 28.1%. Growth was supported by its diversified portfolio and consolidation of JAPC, though healthcare price controls and higher agribusiness costs pressured margins; the group also formed a JV with Zydus to expand local pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Available evidence finds Sri Lanka's oil palm (≈10,400 ha, established on degraded/marginal low-country land, not via forest conversion) does not inherently cause greater soil degradation or erosion than tea, rubber or coconut when good management and organic-matter recycling are applied.
Sunshine Holdings reported consolidated FY26 revenue of Rs.65.9 billion, up 11.2% YoY. PAT was Rs.5.0 billion (down 2.5% YoY) as NMRA pricing cuts weighed on healthcare margins, and the group acquired a majority stake in Joint Agri Products Ceylon Ltd to bolster exports.
Plantations & Agriculture sector: what is happening
Last 14 days to Sep 30, 2026
Heavy August rain and cloud cover cut High Grown tea output to a 34-year monthly low, pulling national production below a year earlier. Tea exports weakened as August merchandise tea exports fell, while eight-month shipments and US dollar earnings declined amid higher freight and insurance costs and a lower average FOB. Sector bodies also pressed for productivity, mechanisation and value addition.