Kenya Airways reports KSh16.1 billion loss: what it means for Kenya Airways stock

Published on 10/06/2026 at 00:27 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Kenya Airways lost KSh16.1 billion in the first half of 2026, up 32 percent year over year. Kenya Airways stock traded at KES 5.50 on October 5, 2026, down 3.85 percent.

KQ, KE0000000307, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Kenya Airways (KE0000000307) reported a KSh16.1 billion net loss for the first half of 2026, up 32 percent from the KSh12.2 billion loss in the same period of 2025, according to Simply Wall St on October 2, 2026. Revenue rose 9.1 percent to KSh81.3 billion, but the larger loss keeps the airline's turnaround under pressure.

Revenue growth meets higher losses

The first-half revenue comparison is positive, yet it did not offset the cost burden. Kenya Airways generated KSh81.3 billion in revenue in the first half of 2026, compared with the first half of 2025, while loss per share reached KSh2.75, according to Simply Wall St on October 2, 2026.

Fuel and operating costs were central pressure points. Business Daily Africa reported on September 11, 2026, that costs rose 12 percent to KSh97.7 billion, while fuel costs increased 66 percent to KSh29.0 billion from KSh17.47 billion in the first half of 2025.

Leadership adds a second test

Kenya Airways also entered a new management phase during September 2026. Habil Waswani became acting chief executive on September 15 after George Kamal's departure, according to Aviation Week on September 16, 2026.

The leadership change arrives alongside a pre-tax loss of KSh15.0 billion for the first half of 2026, compared with KSh12.0 billion in the first half of 2025, the same report said. For investors, the key operating question is whether management can convert revenue growth into lower costs and a narrower loss.

KQ falls to KES 5.50

Kenya Airways stock stood at KES 5.50 on the Nairobi Securities Exchange on October 5, 2026, down 3.85 percent in the session. The market move came against a reported first-half net loss of KSh16.1 billion and revenue growth of 9.1 percent, leaving the financial turnaround as the central valuation issue.