Halfords Group PLC

Halfords, the U.K. vehicle and motorcycle retailer, raised its profit outlook after stronger-than-expected trading in the year to date, sending shares up about 10% to 11% in London. The company now expects underlying profit before tax for the year ending April 2027 to be between £55 million and £65 million, above the consensus of £52.6 million and the previous forecast range of £48.9 million to £55.1 million. The upgrade was driven by a hot U.K. summer that boosted demand for bikes, camping gear, and motoring products, adding profit in the mid-single-digit millions of pounds. Halfords warned that performance will be more weighted toward the first half, with plans to accelerate investment in technology and marketing in the second half. The shares have nearly doubled this year, reflecting growing investor confidence in the company's turnaround.