2026 Pre-Close Trading Update
On the Beach Group plc reported strong trading for its financial year ending 30 September 2026, with bookings up 9% and total transaction value reaching £1.3 billion, marking a fifth consecutive year of record TTV. The company expects its adjusted PBT to be in the top half of its £18-25 million guidance, between £22-23 million. On the Beach will exit the year debt-free with approximately £60 million in cash, having returned £67 million to shareholders. Looking ahead to FY27, the company anticipates PBT in the range of £28-35 million, representing 25-55% growth, driven by continued booking momentum which has seen an increase of 17% in the last eight weeks.
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On the Beach Group plc (LSE: OTB.L), one of the UK's largest online package holiday specialists, today provides an update on trading for its financial year ending 30 September 2026 ("FY26"), in advance of announcing its full year results on 1 December 2026.
- Bookings growth of 9%, significantly ahead of the wider travel market, with total transaction value (“TTV1”) of £1.3bn (+6% YoY), representing the fifth consecutive year of record TTV1.
- Summer 26 (“S26”) booking momentum grew strongly, 4% ahead of last year, having been 1% behind at the time of the H1 results on 12 May, reflecting the shorter lead-time booking profile seen across the sector.
- FY26 adjusted PBT (“PBT”) of £22-23m, in the top half of the £18-25m guidance range at H1 results.
- Strong balance sheet, exiting FY26 debt-free with cash of c.£60m, having returned c.£67m to shareholders in dividends and across three buyback programmes over the past two years, representing 15% of the issued share capital2.
- Continued strategic progress in the year across Beach, Cities, Republic of Ireland and Cruise, by leveraging investments in our technology platform, which now includes over 30,000 hotels, supporting our ambition to significantly scale the business.
- Booking momentum continuing into FY27, having delivered total bookings in the last 8 weeks +17%.
- Announcing today FY27 PBT guidance in the range of £28-35m, which the Board is confident of delivering in the year ahead. This would represent growth of c.25-55% versus FY26, and reflects the trading momentum outlined above, while remaining mindful of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the broader UK consumer backdrop.
1 Group total transaction value ("TTV") of holidays booked in the period before cancellations and amendments.
2 The current £10m buyback programme announced on 8 June is c.60% complete.
Shaun Morton, Chief Executive of On the Beach, commented:
"We are pleased to have delivered an FY26 adjusted PBT performance in the top half of our guidance range, following a strong Summer 26 season. We are also seeing strong booking momentum into FY27, with total bookings in the last 8 weeks +17%. The progress being made across the business reflects the strategic investments we have made in technology, in our expanded product offering, and in our brand. These initiatives are translating into market share gains and deeper customer loyalty, including bookings from repeat customers +18%, underpinning our confidence in the Group’s prospects for the year ahead. We look forward to setting out our strategic progress in more detail at our full-year results on 1 December."
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