Hays stock reports 3.00 percent profit growth as fees fall

Published on 09/28/2026 at 12:01 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Hays stock was trading at GBp 63.85 on September 28, 2026, down 0.16 percent. Deutsche Bank set a GBp 95.00 target after FY26 results.

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Hays stock (ISIN GB0004161021) was trading at GBp 63.85 on the London Stock Exchange on September 28, 2026, down GBp 0.10 or 0.16 percent from the previous close. The recruitment group enters its next reporting phase with higher pre-exceptional operating profit but lower net fees.

Profit rises as fees contract

Hays reported FY26 net fees of GBP 905.5 million and operating profit of GBP 48.6 million for the year ended June 30, 2026, according to Hays. The company also reported a 5.40 percent conversion rate and basic earnings per share of 1.21 pence for FY26.

The comparison is uneven. Yahoo Finance reported that net fees declined 8.00 percent while pre-exceptional operating profit increased 3.00 percent to GBP 48.6 million in FY26. The result shows how cost savings supported profitability while recruitment demand remained under pressure.

Analysts reset their targets

Deutsche Bank raised its Hays price target from GBp 60.00 to GBp 95.00 and kept a Buy rating in a report dated September 9, 2026, according to MarketBeat. The new target lies 48.79 percent above the September 28 intraday price.

Citigroup took a more cautious position on September 23, 2026, lifting its target from GBp 33.00 to GBp 65.00 while retaining a Neutral rating, MarketBeat reported. The spread between those targets leaves the market debate centered on the pace of recovery in permanent recruitment and the durability of Hays cost reductions.

October update sets the next checkpoint

Hays lists a trading update for the quarter ending September 30, 2026, on October 12, 2026, on its investor page. That update will provide the first company-specific read on trading after the FY26 figures and will show whether the 8.00 percent fee decline is narrowing.

The stock's intraday range on September 28 was GBp 63.65 to GBp 65.10, with 241,600 shares traded by 11:00 a.m. BST. Its 52-week range was GBp 27.88 to GBp 78.45, placing the current quote 18.62 percent below the yearly high.

Hays stock stays below its yearly high

Hays stock was last at GBp 63.85 on the London Stock Exchange at 11:00 a.m. BST on September 28, 2026, with a market capitalization of GBP 1.0 billion. The next key datapoint is the October 12 trading update.