ARKO · Arko Corp.

ARKO Corp. reported first quarter 2026 results that demonstrated significant operational improvement. Net loss narrowed to $5.6 million from $12.7 million in the prior year, while Adjusted EBITDA surged 65.1% to $50.9 million, driven by higher fuel margins and disciplined cost management. Retail same-store fuel margin expanded to 48.0 cents per gallon from 38.7 cents, reflecting favorable market conditions and pricing strategies. Same-store merchandise sales excluding cigarettes returned to growth at 0.4%, the best ex-cigarette performance in two years, indicating progress in merchandising and loyalty initiatives. The company continued its dealerization strategy, converting 41 retail stores to dealer locations in the quarter, bringing total conversions to 450 since inception. Management expects this channel optimization to deliver cumulative annualized operating income benefits of over $20 million. The APC IPO in February 2026 provided $206.8 million in net proceeds, which were used to reduce debt by $206.7 million, strengthening the balance sheet. As of March 31, 2026, total liquidity stood at approximately $1.1 billion, including $272 million in cash and $794 million in credit availability. The company maintained its full-year 2026 Adjusted EBITDA guidance of $245 million to $265 million, assuming average retail fuel margin of 41.5 to 43.5 cents per gallon. Management expressed confidence in the company's ability to deliver value in a pressured consumer environment, citing strong March performance and structural progress across dealerization, loyalty, fuel pricing, and cost discipline.