(MENAFN- The Rio Times) Brazil just gave investors a compact lesson in how its economy is coping with high interest rates and uneven demand.

Assaí, a cash-and-carry supermarket chain; Energisa, a nationwide electricity group; and Ânima, a private higher-education provider, all reported third-quarter results that point in different directions.

Together, they show consumer caution, infrastructure strength with funding pressure, and a service-sector rebound driven by pricing and discipline.
Assaí (Cash-and-Carry Grocer) - Holding The Line As Shoppers Stretch Real Incomes
Assaí sells bulk groceries and essentials to value-seeking families and small businesses. It posted net income of R$ 195 million ($36 million), down 1.5% year on year, on net revenue of R$ 19.0 billion ($3.52 billion), up 2.1%.

Adjusted EBITDA rose 6% to R$ 1.1 billion ($204 million). Same-store sales grew 1.3% from July to October and accelerated to 5.2% in October-evidence that price sensitivity is easing at the margin.

The backdrop still hurts: high borrowing costs have crimped low-income purchasing power. Assaí missed the market's revenue view of R$ 19.3 billion ($3.57 billion) and the EBITDA consensus of R$ 1.46 billion ($270 million), but it beat on profit versus an expected R$ 126 million ($23 million).

Leverage improved to 3.03x from 3.52x a year earlier, helped by a slower store-opening pace and tighter operating control.

The story behind the numbers: Brazil's value retail remains a relative winner, but growth is mostly coming from execution-mix, pricing precision, and cost discipline-rather than a booming consumer.


Energisa (Power Utility) - Solid Operations, Cost Of Money Still In Charge
Energisa distributes and transmits electricity across multiple regions. It delivered adjusted net operating revenue of R$ 7.63 billion ($1.41 billion), up 9%, and EBITDA of R$ 2.19 billion ($406 million), up 16.9%-proof that volumes, tariffs, and efficiency are working.

Yet net income fell 10.8% to R$ 648.4 million ($120 million) as financial expenses weighed. Net debt climbed to R$ 29.2 billion ($5.41 billion) from R$ 27.6 billion ($5.11 billion) in the prior quarter; leverage held at 3.2x. Investments reached R$ 1.82 billion ($337 million).

The story behind the numbers: Brazilian utilities can expand and improve margins, but until rates fall more decisively, interest costs will siphon off part of those gains and keep equity returns in check.
Ânima (Higher Education) - Pricing Power And Focus Start To Pay
Ânima operates universities and medical schools with in-person and digital programs. Net income jumped to R$ 36.5 million ($7 million), up 87.9%.

Adjusted EBITDA increased 14.4% to R$ 303.0 million ($56 million). Quarterly net revenue topped R$ 1.0 billion ($185 million), up 7.2%, and year-to-date revenue surpassed R$ 3.0 billion ($556 million).

Student attraction in the core segment rose 5.4%, and average ticket increased across all verticals (Core, Digital, and Inspirali).

The story behind the numbers: after years of sector turbulence, disciplined operations and careful pricing are restoring profitability, with scale and premium programs (notably health) supporting the next intake cycles.

The takeaway: Assaí shows that value formats can grow even when wallets are thin; Energisa proves Brazil's infrastructure engines run steadily but pay a toll to finance; and Ânima signals that services tied to skills and credentials can regain pricing power.

If monetary easing continues, these three snapshots could converge into a broader upturn-first in sentiment and margins, and then, more slowly, in volumes.

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