Dasa, a Brazilian medical testing and hospital group, said on Thursday 5 November 2026 that its profit from continuing operations rose 78.7% in the third quarter to R$173 million (about US$31 million). Sales shrank mainly because the company reshaped itself.
For US readers, the numbers show how a Brazilian health company is trying to earn more while owing less. Dasa’s shares trade on B3, the São Paulo stock exchange.
What Happened
Dasa published its third-quarter 2026 results on Thursday 5 November 2026. Profit from continuing operations, meaning the businesses it still runs, reached R$173 million (about US$31 million at R$5.50 per US dollar).
Gross revenue came to R$2.6 billion (about US$470 million), 9% lower than a year earlier. Dasa says the drop reflects the deconsolidation of Ímpar, its former hospital unit, and the sales of other assets during 2025.
On a like-for-like basis (counting only the businesses Dasa owns today), revenue grew 8%. The diagnostics arm, which runs laboratories and testing centres across Brazil, had gross revenue of R$2.4 billion (about US$436 million), up 8%.
A private hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. File photo: it does not show a Dasa site. Photo: Rio Times archive.Why Sales Fell While Profit Rose
In plain English, Dasa no longer adds up every hospital it once owned. Ímpar now sits inside Rede Américas, a joint venture with the health insurer Amil, so Dasa books only its share of that network’s profit instead of all of its sales. The company’s hospitals and oncology business in the Northeast had revenue of R$231 million (about US$42 million), up 7%.
Net debt, the amount owed after cash, is also lower than a year ago.
The Cash and Debt Picture
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) were R$640 million (about US$116 million), a margin of 26.6%. That beat the R$585 million (about US$106 million) that analysts had expected, according to consensus data compiled by LSEG, a financial data company.
EBITDA was still 7.4% lower than a year earlier, partly because Rede Américas contributed less. Without that effect, Dasa says EBITDA was R$617 million (about US$112 million), up 4.7% on the current scope.
Free cash flow, the cash left after running costs and investment, was R$369 million (about US$67 million), down 11.1% from R$415 million (about US$75 million). Net financial debt ended September at R$5.4 billion (about US$980 million), 18% lower, or 2.76 times current-scope EBITDA.
Chief executive Rafael Lucchesi said the company remains focused on growing with profitability, raising productivity and strengthening cash generation. He added that growth continues on a higher comparison base.
What It Means for You
If you own Brazilian stocks through a US fund, Dasa shows lower debt even as the business is smaller, though free cash flow fell 11.1%. All figures here convert at about R$5.50 per US dollar, the 5 November 2026 close (RT, a market-data provider).
Travellers and expats in Brazil gain little directly. Lab prices and private health plans in São Paulo are set by insurers and hospitals, not by this report.
What Is Not Known
The 1.9 percentage-point fall in gross margin to 31.9% is blamed mainly on accounting reallocations between costs and expenses. Whether it will continue is not known.
We have not seen a dividend decision or a new debt target. The share-price reaction on the first trading day after the release is also not covered here.
More: Brazil news in English