Karachi: Arif Habib Limited (AHL) has reported a robust performance for the fiscal year 2026, according to its corporate briefing, with the company's balance sheet reflecting significant improvements across various metrics. The report was released on October 22, 2026.
The company highlighted a 42% increase in reserves, reaching PKR 1,796 million, up from PKR 1,272 million in the previous fiscal year. This growth was attributed to strong profitability, enhanced brokerage income, and effective cost control measures. Total equity also saw a rise of 27%, amounting to PKR 2,449 million, directly influenced by the increased reserves.
Long-term investments rose by 27% to PKR 103 million, driven by appreciation in the fair value of holdings and strategic portfolio diversification. Notably, short-term equity investments experienced a very large or significant move, soaring by 141% to PKR 2,659 million. This was seen as a strategic deployment of liquidity in response to favorable market conditions, as the KSE-100 Index offered strong returns of approximately 43.5%.
Current assets increased by 54% to PKR 10,558 million, primarily due to higher receivables, margin deposits, and short-term investments amid a surge in trading volumes. This was mirrored by a 61% rise in current liabilities to PKR 8,424 million, reflecting increased payables and client balances. Total assets expanded by 52% to PKR 10,902 million, while total liabilities grew to PKR 8,453 million, illustrating a balanced scale-up in operations.
In the profit and loss account, operating revenue increased by 46% to PKR 2,247 million, bolstered by higher brokerage commissions and fee income. Investment gains saw a moderate move, improving by 9% to PKR 1,207 million, attributed to effective management of the Fixed-Income Investment Portfolio. According to information available from the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), the fiscal year's value traded on the PSX rose by 51.02%, reflecting heightened market activity.
The company's net turnover grew by 27% to PKR 3,825 million, while operating expenses increased by 31% to PKR 1,975 million due to higher employee costs and technological investments. Despite a 74% rise in finance costs, operating profit rose by 24% to PKR 1,679 million, and profit after tax increased by 20% to PKR 1,177 million. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) reached PKR 1,901 million, up 29% from the previous year.
Earnings per share (EPS) and dividends per share (DPS) also improved, with EPS at PKR 18.01 and DPS at PKR 12.5, marking a 20% and 30% increase, respectively. These results underscore Arif Habib Limited's strong financial performance and strategic execution in FY26.