(MENAFN- The Rio Times) Brazil's consumer, agribusiness, and software names are feeling the same pressures-high interest rates, tighter credit, and uneven demand-but their responses differ in telling ways.

Natura is simplifying and waiting for rates to ease. 3tentos is accepting near-term margin pain to build scale and logistics muscle.

LWSA is turning a decade of acquisitions into cash flow and operating leverage. Together they show a market pivoting from expansion to efficiency and discipline.
Natura &Co - Simplify first, recover later
What it is: a beauty and personal-care group built around the Natura brand in Brazil and Hispanic America, with the legacy Avon business still being streamlined.

The story behind the story: the near-term investment case is about timing, not growth. A restrictive macro and slower-than-hoped synergy capture after the Avon tie-up pushed a cautious stance.

Management is clearing the decks: divesting Avon Card and pursuing the sale of Avon International while continuing“Wave 2” integration in Mexico and Argentina, where inflation and channel shifts complicate the rollout.

Shares are sharply down year to date after a weak 3Q25 print, and the company is effectively asking investors to look to 2026, when lower rates should ease consumer credit and a slimmer portfolio should translate to cleaner margins. Execution on asset sales and stabilization is the hinge.


3tentos - Scale today, margin tomorrow
What it is: an integrated agribusiness platform spanning farm inputs, origination, processing, and logistics.

The story behind the story: 3Q25 shows deliberate growing pains. Net income fell 36.2% to R$203.0 million (~$38m) from R$318.4 million (~$59m) a year earlier, and adjusted EBITDA declined 51.4% to R$166.3 million (~$31m).

Yet net operating revenue jumped 42.9% to R$4.994 billion (~$925m). Management is seeding the next legs of profitability: a canola chain in Rio Grande do Sul; entry into ethanol and DDGs with first output slated for early 2026 in Mato Grosso; expanded origination hubs in Uberlândia, Rio Verde, and Redenção; and a Miritituba port terminal to lower freight and speed exports.

The near-term trade-off is clear: revenue scale arrives before industrial mix optimization; margin recovery depends on new plants reaching steady state and logistics savings flowing through unit economics.
LWSA - From acquisition spree to cash discipline
What it is: a software and digital-commerce ecosystem for SMEs with a large subscription client base.

The story behind the story: LWSA is monetizing what it owns. Portfolio simplification triggered R$416.3 million (~$77m) in“Other Operating” impact in 3Q25, contributing to a reported net loss of R$287.8 million (~$53m).

Under the surface, adjusted net profit rose to R$56.6 million (~$10m) and adjusted EBITDA reached R$87.0 million (~$16m) with a record 22.5% margin. Operating cash flow was R$102.9 million (~$19m); post-capex free cash flow hit R$70.5 million (~$13m).

The company paid R$28.6 million (~$5m) in dividends, repurchased roughly R$3 million (~$1m) in shares, lifted revenue 11% to R$387.4 million (~$72m), and processed R$20.3 billion (~$3.8bn) in GMV.

The pivot is from growth via acquisitions to profitable growth and cash returns, with subscription resilience anchoring predictability.

Bottom line: Natura is a 2026 reset anchored in simplification, 3tentos is a scale-then-margin ramp tied to asset maturity and logistics, and LWSA is a cash-generation turn built on operating discipline. Same macro, three investable timelines and catalysts.

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