RTX headcount triples while Waitrose margins face pressure

The national flag carrier has traded its way back to profitability. While turnover slipped marginally to THB 183.4bn, the bottom line swung sharply from a THB 26.9bn loss to a THB 22.5bn net profit. A tidy bowl of numbers for the listed airline, concluding with an unmodified audit opinion.

A significant shift in scale at the aerospace conglomerate. Turnover climbed 10% to $88.6bn, carrying net profit up 41% to $7.07bn. But the real story is on the payroll: average headcount more than tripled from 54,000 to 180,000. That sort of rapid expansion points to a major structural change, though the US GAAP accounts do not detail the underlying drivers.

The retail group's consolidated accounts present a comparative anomaly this year. The latest 371-day period delivered £11.7bn in turnover, but it sits against an unusual prior period that lasted just a single day and generated £11.1bn. Unadjusted year-on-year percentages have been omitted entirely, as comparing a full year to a stub of that size provides limited analytical value.

The supermarket subsidiary is facing pressure on the bottom line. Turnover grew 7% to £7.77bn, but operating profit slid 11% to £178m. The margin contraction aligns with the payroll: total staff costs rose 10% to £1.15bn despite average headcount falling to 44,900, driving average pay up 14% to roughly £25.6k. Notably, a disclosure states the company actually has no direct employees, with the reported workforce formally employed by the parent group.

A steady set of consolidated numbers from the listed construction group. Turnover breached the five-billion mark, rising 10% to £5.02bn, while operating profit outpaced the top line with a 39% jump to £224.9m. The period also saw an increase in board pay, with total director remuneration climbing 14% to £16.7m. The auditor flagged three key audit matters, but ultimately issued an unmodified opinion.