Sugar tax sours Kofola ČeskoSlovensko revenue forecast

Core Viewpoint - Kofola ČeskoSlovensko is revising its annual sales forecast downward due to the impact of a sugar tax in Slovakia, expecting a 4% decline in revenues instead of the previously anticipated growth of 1.5% [1][2] Financial Performance - The company reported a 7.5% decline in third-quarter revenues, amounting to Kč3.1 billion, and a 1.1% decrease in EBITDA to Kč727 million [4][6] - For the first nine months of 2025, total profits fell by 18.9% to Kč528 million, with revenues dipping 3.6% to Kč8.2 billion and EBITDA dropping 11.8% to Kč1.4 billion [6] Segment Performance - The CzechoSlovakia business segment, which is the largest, experienced a 10% revenue decline to Kč4.7 billion, with EBITDA down 12.5% to Kč823 million [5] - The beer and ciders segment also saw a revenue decrease of 10.3%, attributed to lower demand in central and eastern European countries [5] Future Outlook - Kofola has adjusted its EBITDA forecast for 2025 to Kč1.75 billion ($83.8 million) from a previous estimate of Kč1.9 billion [2][4] - Despite a brief improvement in revenue trends at the end of August and early September, the company has noted a continuation of negative trends in autumn and November [4]