The Takealot Group has continued its steady march toward profitability, delivering a robust performance that positions it ahead of major international competitors, including Amazon. In its financial results for the six months ended 30 September 2025, parent company Naspers reported that Takealot achieved significant growth across key metrics.
Naspers stated:
The group continued to broaden its market reach and successfully launched external fulfilment services to support third-party sellers. Takealot maintained its critical role in South Africa’s e-commerce landscape, outperforming global rivals while progressing toward full profitability.
The South African e-commerce market saw heightened competition in 2024 following Amazon’s entry with its local marketplace. Despite Amazon’s dominance in the U.S., Takealot remains the leading player in South Africa. Data from Google Trends confirms that Takealot continues to be a far more popular search term among South African consumers compared to Amazon.
Financial Highlights
- Revenue Growth: Up 23% in local currency (excluding mergers and acquisitions).
- Gross Merchandise Value (GMV): Increased 16% year-on-year.
- Adjusted EBITDA (aEBITDA): Rose by US$10 million (≈R170 million) to US$28 million (≈R485 million), which Naspers described as a “step change.”
Takealot.com Performance
- Revenue surged 32% (26% in local currency) to US$385 million.
- GMV climbed 17%, supported by a 16% increase in order volumes.
- The newly launched Takealot Fulfilment Services (TFS) strengthened operational capabilities.
Takealot’s subscription program, TakealotMore, drove higher customer retention and cross-selling opportunities. Subscribers now account for 21% of GMV, underscoring its growing influence.
- Revenue grew 12% (10% in local currency) to US$65 million (≈R1.1 billion).
- GMV rose 14%, with the grocery segment accelerating by 47%.
- EBITDA reached US$3 million (≈R50 million), maintaining profitability while expanding into food, grocery, and retail categories.
While adjusted EBIT (aEBIT) still reflects a US$4 million loss (≈R69 million), this marks a significant improvement from US$12 million in the same period last year.
Figures are reported on a pro-forma basis, excluding Superbalist, which was sold in September 2024.
