Lead battery major Leoch International is set to see a profit boost of more than 15% for the first half of 2026, according to a surprise announcement.

The group revealed in a ‘positive profit alert’ that a preliminary assessment indicated the rise — compared to the same period last year — was mainly due to an increase in the gross profit of its power solutions business.

The July 20 announcement came just three months after Leoch published annual results for 2025 showing the group had turned from profit to a loss of Rmb191 million ($28 million), against a backdrop of US trade tariffs and global economic turmoil.

Trade frictions, geopolitical conflicts and exchange rate fluctuations had all contributed to operating pressure, the firm said.

In the latest announcement, Leoch founder and chairman Dong Li said the expected profit boost is based on a preliminary assessment of unaudited consolidated management accounts of the group and other information.

However, he cautioned that the lead and lithium battery producer was still in the process of finalising results for the period and financial details had yet to be reviewed by the group’s auditors.

Interim results of the group are expected to be formally released on or before August 31, 2026.

Dong Li was re-elected as an executive director of the company earlier this year following a poll of shareholders at Leoch’s annual general meeting.

Batteries International revealed exclusively last April that Leoch had shelved proposals to launch a US spin-off company, with Dong Li saying the company had “decided at this time not to proceed with the project”.