Air Link Plans Rs500 Million BNPL Venture as Nine-Month Profit Climbs 15%

KARACHI: Air Link Communication Limited has announced plans to diversify its business by entering Pakistan’s consumer finance sector while reporting strong financial growth for the nine months ended March 31, 2026.

In a notification to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), the company’s Board of Directors approved the incorporation of a wholly owned subsidiary, AirFin Consumer Finance (Private) Limited, subject to regulatory approvals from the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). The new company will focus on Investment Finance Services with a Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) business model and will involve an initial investment of Rs500 million, divided into 50 million ordinary shares of Rs10 each.

Alongside the strategic expansion, Air Link reported robust financial performance for the first nine months of FY2026. The company posted net revenue of Rs47.40 billion, up from Rs45.16 billion recorded during the corresponding period last year.

Gross profit increased to Rs5.67 billion, compared with Rs5.40 billion a year earlier, while operating profit improved to Rs4.51 billion from Rs4.37 billion.

Profit before tax rose to Rs3.36 billion, representing an increase of more than 20% from Rs2.78 billion in the same period of FY2025. After accounting for taxation, profit after tax reached Rs2.38 billion, compared with Rs2.08 billion in the corresponding period last year, reflecting year-on-year growth of approximately 15%.

Earnings per share (EPS) also improved to Rs6.02, up from Rs5.25 in the same period last year, highlighting stronger returns for shareholders.

For the quarter ended March 31, 2026, Air Link posted a net profit of Rs480.01 million, compared with Rs402.96 million in the corresponding quarter of FY2025, while quarterly EPS increased to Rs1.21 from Rs1.02.

Despite approving the new investment initiative, the Board did not recommend any cash dividend, bonus shares, right shares, or other corporate action for shareholders for the quarter.

The proposed entry into the BNPL segment marks a significant strategic shift for Air Link, allowing the company to expand beyond its core mobile phone distribution and technology business into the rapidly growing digital consumer finance market, subject to regulatory approval.