Empresaria Group (AIM:EMR), the international specialist staffing and recruitment company listed on AIM, raised its full-year profit guidance on Wednesday.
The company now expects adjusted profit before tax for the year ending 31 December to be at least £6.2m, up from the £5.2m minimum flagged in a trading update on 28 July, citing better-than-expected cost discipline and improved management oversight. Net fee income rose 5% in the six months to 30 June, its first half-year growth since 2022, and 10% on a constant currency, like-for-like basis, with the strongest contributions from Global workforce solutions and Operational outsourcing.
Adjusted operating profit jumped 135% to £4m, with all three service lines posting growth, while Specialist recruitment swung back to a £0.2m adjusted operating profit from a £0.3m loss a year earlier. And, adjusted profit before tax climbed 256% to £3.2m, and net debt held broadly flat at £17m, after April's disposal of Skillhouse Staffing Solutions generated a £0.7m profit and roughly £0.9m in upfront cash.
"Our first half year performance provides us with confidence in delivering profitable growth across all parts of the group during the rest of the year," said chief executive Nigel Marsh.
Trading since June has continued in line with the July update, the company said.
News Intelligence what this means for the company
Empresaria raised full-year 2026 profit guidance to at least £6.2m from £5.2m, driven by net fee income returning to growth (5% reported, 10% constant-currency like-for-like) and adjusted operating profit jumping 135% to £4m in the first half. The lift signals momentum across all three service lines after years of contraction, with management citing better cost discipline and improved oversight.
The return to organic fee income growth and sharp operating leverage reversal the trajectory from prior years of decline. However, the company remains leveraged at £17m net debt against £6.2m guided annual profit, leaving limited room for error if trading conditions soften.
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