D&L eyes stronger 2026 performance

D&L Industries Inc., the country's top specialty food ingredients and oleochemicals producer, is optimistic that 2026 will be a better year for its business even as it continues to target a 10-percent profit growth for 2025.

- By JAMES A. LOYOLA

"From what we see, interest rates are coming down-not just in the Philippines, but even in the US [United States] and in other markets as well. That usually has a big impact on the economy. So, from that perspective, 2026 should be better," D&L President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Alvin D. Lao said in a virtual media briefing.

He also noted, "You can see that our exports are continuing to do well. We have a lot more [overseas] customers lined up, and we have a lot more plans to continue to grow exports."

"Just looking at exports alone, revenue grew by 20 percent [in the first nine months of 2025], gross profits are higher by 22 percent, and then the blended gross profit margin for exports is 17.2 percent, which is higher than the domestic blended gross profit margin, which is 11.4 percent," Lao said.

D&L has set a profit growth target of 10 percent for this year, and it has reported an eight-percent growth for the first nine months of 2025.