(Reuters) -Ticketing firm Trainline said on Thursday it expects to report annual adjusted core profit at the top end of its forecast range, sending shares as high as 15% in early trading.
The London-based company reported an 8% increase in net ticket sales for the first-half of the year, driven by robust leisure travel, easing of strikes in the UK, and expansion in international markets such as France.
CONTEXT
Trainline, which considers the UK its biggest market with 18 million active customers, operates in more than 40 countries across Europe.
Rebounding international business travel and ongoing rail liberalisation across Europe have created competitive advantages and new growth opportunities for the company despite structural challenges from digital competition and reduced commission rates.
The company has been focusing its marketing investment on European high-speed routes that has seen rising carrier competition, contributing to a 34% year-over-year increase in second-quarter sales in Southeast France, it said.
BY THE NUMBERS
Trainline expects to report adjusted core profit growth at the top end of its forecast of between 6% and 9% for its year ending February 2026.
Group ticket sales for the first half of the year grew 8% while total revenue grew 2%, it said.
It also launched a new 150-million-pound ($202.61 million) share repurchase programme.
MARKET REACTION
Shares were up 10.5% at 287.4 pence, as of 0720 GMT, topping the FTSE mid-caps index.
“A good set of results this morning” analysts at J.P.Morgan said about Trainline, while noting uncertainty from UK rail regulation and an “unfavourable” competitive set-up.
WHAT’S NEXT
Trainline is scheduled to report results for the first half of financial year 2026 on November 5.
($1 = 0.7404 pounds)
(Reporting by Raechel Thankam Job in Bengaluru; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair)
