The challenging times for Bapcor persist, with the company’s losses spiralling in its latest trading update.

Leadership changes and a shareholder bailout have painted the picture of the long-struggling car parts retailer, with the figures from its half-year earnings report showing the extent of the damage.

With falling figures across the board, Bapcor’s statutory net profit after tax stands out, falling 370.8 per cent from $38.7 million in 2025 to a loss of $104.8 million this year.

But it’s still early days for Bapcor’s CEO, Chris Wilesmith, who was announced as the replacement for Angus McKay in December, following his resignation.

“It’s clear the company plays a critical role in an essential sector, and there is a significant opportunity to get the engine running again to continue rebuilding the business,” Wilesmith said.

Starting life in 1971, Bapcor has more than 1000 retail locations in Australia, New Zealand and Thailand, making it the largest company in its sector across the Asia Pacific region.

“The first half was challenging, with parts of the business impacted by increased competition and cost pressures, the loss of industry knowledge, and pricing and inventory issues,” Wilesmith added.

“Encouragingly, we are starting to see green shoots, with positive sales momentum emerging across networks, retail and New Zealand.”

Losing 3.9 per cent of its revenue year-on-year, Bapcor’s half-year sales fell below $1 billion. Elsewhere, its net bank debt climbed by 27.2 per cent to $387.3 million.

Wilesmith said the immediate focus is on lifting financial performance through “giving our team members the environment they need to succeed”, as well as improving customer experience, pricing, and stock placement.