Terpel’s First-Half 2026 Sales Reach US$6.4 Billion as Profit Jumps 25%
A slow-growth top line hides a fast-growth bottom line — and a quiet read on whether Colombians are still driving, flying and spending.
Colombia’s biggest fuel seller just closed a strong six months. Organización Terpel booked sales of COP 19.94 trillion (~US$6.38 billion) in the first half of 2026. That is up 5.9% from a year earlier. Profit rose far faster.
Key Facts
- Revenue: COP 19.94 trillion (~US$6.38 billion) in the first half of 2026, up 5.9% year on year.
- Net profit: COP 409.25 billion (~US$131 million), up 25.4% from a year earlier.
- Operating profit: COP 794.52 billion (~US$254 million), up 25.7%.
- Gross profit: COP 2.01 trillion (~US$643 million).
- Market share: 42.6% of fuel dispatched to Colombian service stations — four in every ten gallons.
- Dividends paid: COP 300.58 billion (~US$96 million).
- Owner: Chile’s Empresas Copec, part of the Angelini group.
The numbers behind the headline
Net profit reached COP 409.25 billion (~US$131 million). That is 25.4% more than the same period last year.
Operating profit climbed 25.7% to COP 794.52 billion (~US$254 million). Gross profit came in at COP 2.01 trillion (~US$643 million).
So sales grew slowly, yet earnings grew quickly. Terpel sold a little more fuel and kept a firmer grip on its costs.
The company also rewarded its owners. It paid out COP 300.58 billion (~US$96 million) in dividends over the half.
What drove the results
Fuel and lubricant volumes rose about 2%. Aviation fuel — the jet fuel Terpel pumps at airports — grew 1.3%.
Convenience stores were the bright spot. Sales there jumped 6% in pesos, helped by store brands like Altoque and Va&ven.
Natural gas for vehicles also beat plan in Colombia. Volumes hit 104% of budget, margins improved, and running costs fell.
One line went the other way. Industrial sales dropped sharply, mostly because Terpel is dropping lower-value clients in Ecuador.
Colombia’s fuel king
Terpel rules its home market. It supplied 42.6% of all fuel dispatched to service stations in the first half.
That is four out of every ten gallons. Picture that ratio the next time you fill up in Bogotá.
Its nearest rival, Primax, held 21.4%. Chevron, Biomax and Petromil trailed well behind.
The top five distributors together moved 85.7% of the market. Terpel has widened its lead for years, from roughly 36% in 2010.
A retreat from Ecuador
The big strategic move of 2026 is a pullback. Terpel is selling its network of about 110 stations in Ecuador.
Primax is the buyer. Terpel is leaving that market after two decades to focus on its stronger lines of business.
The parent company has not changed. Terpel remains controlled by Empresas Copec, the fuel arm of Chile’s Angelini group.
Copec has owned Terpel since 2010. It still runs the business today, and there is no public sign of a sale to any new owner.
Why this matters to you
Here is why to care if you live in or invest across Latin America. Terpel is a rare regional consumer champion that touches daily life.
If you drive, fly, or grab a coffee at a highway stop in Colombia, Panama or Peru, you probably use it. Its results are also a simple gauge of the wider economy.
Strong fuel and store sales suggest people are still on the move and still spending. And as a company listed on Colombia’s stock exchange, Terpel sits in many regional funds.
More: Colombia news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Sources: Organización Terpel first-half 2026 results, via La República and Valora Analítik; market-share data from Surtidores LATAM (SICOM); Ecuador exit reporting from La Tercera, El Universo and Diario Financiero.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Terpel earn in the first half of 2026?
Terpel reported net profit of COP 409.25 billion (~US$131 million), up 25.4% from a year earlier. Sales reached COP 19.94 trillion (~US$6.38 billion).
What is Terpel’s share of Colombia’s fuel market?
Terpel supplied 42.6% of the fuel dispatched to Colombian service stations in the first half of 2026. That is about four out of every ten gallons, far ahead of second-place Primax at 21.4%.
Who owns Terpel?
Terpel is controlled by Empresas Copec, the fuel company of Chile’s Angelini group. Copec has owned Terpel since 2010, and there is no public record of a sale to a new owner.
Why is Terpel leaving Ecuador?
Terpel is selling its roughly 110 service stations in Ecuador to Primax after two decades in that market. The company wants to focus its money and attention on stronger lines of business.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error