2026 Pre-Close Trading Update
Summary by AI BETAClose X
24 September 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION FOR THE PURPOSES OF ARTICLE 7 OF REGULATION (EU) 596/2014 AS IT FORMS PART OF UK DOMESTIC LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018.
On the Beach Group plc
("On the Beach", "OTB" or the "Group")
2026 Pre-Close Trading Update
Closing FY26 with adjusted PBT in the top half of guidance
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."
For further information:
On the Beach Group plc via Sodali
Shaun Morton, Chief Executive Officer
Jon Wormald, Chief Financial Officer
Sodali & Co onthebeach@client.sodali.com
Rob Greening
Lizzy Kittle
About On the Beach
On the Beach Group plc is one of the UK's largest online package holiday specialists. We offer choice, value, flexibility and financial protection, powered by our proprietary technology platform.
With an asset-light, cash-generative model, we drive customer acquisition and loyalty through scalable technology, automation and operational efficiency, enabling us to grow profitably while helping more people holiday better and more often.
Renowned for beach package holidays, we have leveraged our expertise, technology and strong supplier relationships to broaden our addressable market, expanding into city breaks and cruise holidays, and offering our full range of holidays to customers in the Republic of Ireland.
Cautionary statement
This announcement may contain certain forward-looking statements with respect to the financial condition, results, operations and businesses of the Company. Forward looking statements are sometimes, but not always, identified by their use of a date in the future or such words as 'anticipates', 'aims', 'due', 'will', 'could', 'may', 'should', 'expects', 'believes', 'intends', 'plans', 'targets', 'goal' or 'estimates'. These forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, including factors outside the Company's control. The forward-looking statements reflect the knowledge and information available at the date of preparation of this announcement and will not be updated during the year. Nothing in this announcement should be construed as a profit forecast. This statement together with the interim financial statements and investor presentation is available on www.onthebeachgroupplc.com.
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