Redcare Pharmacy Shares Plunge as Profitability Concerns Overshadow Record Sales

Redcare Pharmacy faces a severe sell-off as investors focus on collapsing margins and a weak 2026 outlook, despite record 2025 revenue driven by e-prescriptions.

Despite posting record revenues for 2025 and exceeding its own targets in the digital prescription segment, Redcare Pharmacy is facing a severe sell-off from investors. The European online pharmacy leader finds its lack of profitability under intense scrutiny following its annual report, which revealed weakening margins and a disappointing outlook for the coming year.

Profitability Pressures Mount Despite Top-Line Growth

The company’s 2025 financial results presented a stark contrast. On one hand, total revenue surged by 24.1% to reach €2.94 billion. This growth was powered overwhelmingly by the German E-prescription business, where revenue skyrocketed 98% to €503 million. The active customer base also expanded significantly, climbing to 13.9 million users.

However, the core over-the-counter (OTC) medication business, a key driver of profitability, showed pronounced weakness. Growth in this high-margin segment slowed to just 9.3% in the fourth quarter, missing consensus estimates. Company leadership attributed the slowdown to reduced marketing expenditure and a generally soft market environment.

Soaring Costs and Narrowing Margins

The OTC slowdown hit Redcare at a vulnerable time. For the full year, adjusted EBITDA increased 72% to €57.4 million. Yet the operational margin collapsed to a meager 1.6% in the final quarter. The bottom line for 2025 remained a net loss of approximately €37.7 million.

Heavy investment is further straining finances. Capital expenditures totaled nearly €119 million as the company pours money into logistics and automation. Redcare has labeled 2025 and 2026 as peak investment years, with spending expected to normalize only after this period.

A Cautious Forecast Triggers a Market Rout

Investor concerns were not alleviated by the guidance for 2026, issued in early March. The company’s projected revenue growth of 13% to 15%, alongside a target adjusted EBITDA margin of at least 2.5%, fell short of market expectations.

The market’s reaction was swift and severe. A dramatic sell-off ensued, pushing the stock to a new 52-week low of €42.14 yesterday. The share price has now shed more than 36% over the past month. Market observers interpret this sharp decline as a clear signal that investors are demanding faster progress toward profitability, rather than rewarding top-line growth alone.

The strategic challenge for management is now unequivocal: the robust growth from E-prescriptions must be efficiently converted into rising profits, while the company simultaneously absorbs high capital investment costs. The first indication of whether margin improvement efforts are taking hold will come on May 6, 2026, when Redcare releases its first-quarter figures.