SAO PAULO (Reuters)-Americanas () still has several quarters ahead to be able to resume growth in a sustained manner, after focusing more on its operation and less for matters linked to the accounting fraud scandal, the company’s president Leonardo Coelho said on Thursday.
“We have at least five or six quarters ahead still in a recovery mode,” the executive said at a time when American actions melted 24.5% on the São Paulo stock market after the company’s fourth quarter results publication on the eve of the day before.
“We have to remember the size of the crisis in early 2023,” Coelho said when asked about the company’s performance late last year at a conference with analysts and investors. “We have always said it is a long process. You can’t make a recovery that leaves the company prepared for the long run accelerating beyond what it supports it.”
In the fourth quarter, Americanas, which in the burst of the crisis with the so -called “drawee risk” had debt of more than $ 40 billion, had a net loss of $ 586 million. The operating result measured by Ebitda was close to zero to zero, as the company focused more on the operation in the second half of last year.
According to the financial director, Camille Loyo Faria, Americanas is expected to leave the judicial recovery process at the end of February 2026, when he believes the company will have met “99% of the plan” of restructuring approved by the Rio de Janeiro Court.
Asked about the company’s lack of visibility about the obligation to sell the Natural Hortifruti of Earth (HNT), defined in the Judicial Recovery Plan, the executive stated: “Throughout 2025, at some point, we will do this sales process.”
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The sale of the high -end hortifruti network concentrated in the city of São Paulo was suspended by Americanas in late 2023, amid proposals received in the heat of pressure from the beginning of the judicial recovery process.
In Faria’s view, the market had the wrong view that Americanas needed to get rid of the operation of HNT “at any cost.”
“Depending on the proposals (to be sent this year) we will see what will be the future of this business (HNT) inside or outside Americans,” said the financial director.
