Mercuries & Associates Acquires OK Mart, Total Stores Reach 1219 by End of March

(CNA, Taipei, May 20, by reporter Chiang Ming-yen) Mercuries & Associates Holdings (三商家購) saw its first-quarter revenue grow by over 10% and profit by 26% year-over-year, with earnings per share (EPS) reaching NT$0.54. The company stated that it took over the business of OK Mart starting March 27, bringing the total number of community retail stores in Taiwan to 1,219 by the end of March. Only about 5 days of OK Mart's revenue were recognized in the first quarter, with the main growth driver coming from the existing Simple Mart channels, indicating the effectiveness of its franchising strategy and operational model optimization. Mercuries & Associates Holdings held an institutional investor conference today, reporting that thanks to improved operational efficiency at existing stores and growth in differentiated product sales, its Q1 consolidated revenue reached NT$3.837 billion, a 10.47% annual increase. Net profit after tax was NT$36.42 million, up 27.88% year-over-year; net profit attributable to the parent company was NT$36.56 million, up 26%, with an EPS of NT$0.54, an increase of NT$0.11 from the same period last year. The company stated that it invested in its subsidiary, Fu Da Retail Co., and completed the transaction on March 27, 2026, to take over OK Mart's business operations. Its revenue has been included in the consolidated financial statements since that date, which expanded the total number of community retail stores in Taiwan to 1,219 by the end of March. This move aims to broaden the service scope in commercial districts through a diversified layout of consumer scenarios. Although only about 5 days of OK Mart's revenue were recognized in Q1, with limited contribution to the overall results, the quarterly consolidated revenue still achieved a strong performance with a 10.47% year-over-year increase. The primary growth engine was the approximately 8% growth from Simple Mart's existing channels, demonstrating that the benefits of the franchising strategy and operational model optimization are gradually materializing. In terms of business strategy, Mercuries & Associates Holdings mentioned that the combined franchise ratio for its dual brands has increased to 45.26%, enhancing operational flexibility. In product strategy, it has actively developed categories such as coffee and self-imported goods, increasing the sales share of differentiated products to 27.62%. Furthermore, its stores featuring the 'Alleyway Cellar' and 'Pet Zone' have surpassed 500, effectively boosting customer traffic. To adapt to retail technology trends, Mercuries & Associates is also accelerating its digital transformation by implementing Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs) and Retail Media Networks (RMNs) to enhance profitability in smart retail while optimizing store efficiency. Looking ahead, Mercuries & Associates explained that it will continue to leverage its dual-brand channel advantages, deepen its community operations through a franchise model and digital applications, and move towards a more comprehensive and efficient community retail system, with promising future growth. (Editor: Huang Kuo-lun) 1150520