Inditex's profit grew by 6.8%, while sales reached €19.8 billion

Spanish fashion group Inditex, the owner of Zara, announced on Wednesday that net profit reached €3 billion in the first half of 2026, an increase of 6.8% compared to the same period last year.

According to the company, sales rose 7.6% to reach €19.8 billion, while growth in constant currency stood at 9.2%. Inditex stated that the results were driven by strong customer interest in the spring/summer collections.

The company's gross profit grew 8.3% to €11.6 billion. Gross margin increased to 58.7%, up 40 basis points compared to the first half of 2025.

Additionally, EBITDA rose 7.8% to €5.5 billion, while operating profit (EBIT) grew 7.6% to €3.8 billion. Pre-tax profit also reached €3.8 billion, with a margin of 19.5%.

Inditex's financial position also improved. The company's operating cash flow increased 11% to €4.1 billion, while free cash flow reached €2.3 billion — almost twice as much as in the first half of 2025. As of July 31, the company's net cash position rose 4% to reach €10.4 billion.

Zara remains the main driver

The Zara brand group, which includes Zara, Zara Home and Lefties, recorded sales of €13.78 billion in the first half, up from €13.15 billion the previous year.

Geographically, the largest share of the company's sales came from Europe (excluding Spain) — 51.5%. The Americas accounted for 17.9% of sales, Asia and the rest of the world for 15%, and Spain for 15.6%.

During this period, Inditex carried out retail network optimization efforts across 51 markets, including store renovations, new store openings, and location changes. By the end of the half-year, the company had 5,444 stores and operated in 215 markets.

According to the company, the autumn/winter collections have also been well received by customers. From August 1 to September 7, sales in constant currency grew 9% compared to the corresponding period last year.

Outlook for 2026

Inditex expects total retail space to grow by approximately 5% in 2026 and forecasts that gross margin will remain roughly stable. The company also anticipates an approximately 1% negative currency impact on sales.

For capital expenditures, Inditex plans to allocate approximately €2.3 billion, with an additional nearly €200 million to be spent on corporate infrastructure.

The company also confirmed that it will pay shareholders the final dividend for fiscal year 2025, amounting to €0.875 per share, on November 2.