Halfords Shares Surge as Retailer Upgrades Profit Forecast on Hot Summer Trading

Shares in Halfords Group plc (LON: HFD) jumped sharply on Thursday after the motoring and cycling retailer upgraded its profit guidance for the current financial year, citing stronger-than-expected trading and an unusually warm summer boosting seasonal sales.

In a trading update released before markets opened, the Redditch-based company said it now expects underlying profit before tax for FY27 to come in between £55m and £65m — comfortably ahead of the current market consensus of £52.6m, which had ranged from £48.9m to £55.1m.

Halfords said the upgrade reflects continued momentum in its underlying business as it executes its strategic priorities, combined with a particularly strong performance in seasonal categories such as cycling and outdoor motoring products, partly driven by unusually warm weather over the summer months. The company estimated that this heightened seasonal demand alone contributed incremental profit in the “mid-single digit millions of pounds.”

The retailer added that it now expects full-year performance to be more heavily weighted towards the first half, as it plans to accelerate investment in technology and marketing during the second half of the year.

Investors reacted positively to the news, sending Halfords shares up around 13% to roughly 272p in early trading, up from a previous close of 241p.

Halfords confirmed its Annual General Meeting will take place on 10 September 2026, with its half-year trading update for the 26 weeks ending 2 October 2026 scheduled for release on 21 October 2026. The upgrade marks a notable vote of confidence in the retailer’s turnaround strategy following its FY26 results, which had already flagged strong current trading momentum entering the new financial year.