Skip Header
Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

Marston's shares surge as Xmas bookings, profits jump

(Sharecast News) - Shares in Marston's surged on Tuesday as the pub chain reported a sharp jump in annual profits and said bookings for the key Christmas period were up 11% year on year. Pre-tax earnings for the year to September 27 hit £88.3m, up from the $14m recorded a year earlier. The company, which operates more than 1,300 pubs across the UK, said like for like sales in the eight weeks to 22 November were tracking in line with the prior year.

Shares in the company were up 20% in London.

It added that it was "well positioned for a strong festive period and FY2026, supported by ongoing format conversions and a robust calendar of demand-driving events, including the 2026 World Cup".

Total revenues were broadly flat year-on-year at £898m, as revenue management initiatives offset the impact of around £50m in pub disposals in the prior period. The group has invested £61.2m over the last year to launch new pub formats and wider estate upgrades.

"The roll-out of our pub formats is building momentum, and we plan to accelerate this growth engine this year with at least 50 new format launches," the company said.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com

Share this article

Related Sharecast Articles

Air France-KLM submits bid for stake in Portugal's TAP
(Sharecast News) - Air France-KLM said it had submitted a non-binding offer to buy a minority stake in TAP Air Portugal as part of the Portuguese government's plan to privatise its national airline.
Sorted Group proposes to dispose of its main trading subsidiary
(Sharecast News) - Sorted Group announced a proposal to dispose of its main trading subsidiary Sorted Group Limited on Thursday, for a nominal £1, in a move that would see the company become an AIM cash shell and pursue a new acquisition-led strategy.
Speedy Hire warns on worsening market conditions despite strategic progress
(Sharecast News) - Tools and equipment hire company Speedy Hire said on Thursday that it had delivered "significant strategic progress" in FY26, highlighted by its "transformational" partnership with Proservice and continued momentum across its core operations, but also cautioned that trading conditions had deteriorated further in the final quarter amid budget uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and customer‑driven delays.
RBC Capital Markets upgrades Berkeley to 'outperform'
(Sharecast News) - Analysts at RBC Capital Markets upgraded housebuilder Berkeley from 'sector perform' to 'outperform' on Thursday, noting the group had "acted decisively" to the challenges it had faced.

Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

Award-winning online share dealing

Search, compare and select from thousands of shares.

Expert insights into investing your money

Our team of experts explore the world of share dealing.