Volume Growth in H1
Completed 4,702 homes in H1, representing a 2.7% increase in volume versus prior year; FY '26 volume guidance increased by 100–300 units to 9,300–9,500 homes.
Improved Trading and Order Book
Trading has picked up since the start of the calendar year with private sales rates rising to 0.66 in the first six weeks of Feb/Mar and a private weekly rate ~0.65 in recent weeks; order book reported as ~4,400 homes at H1 and subsequently over £1.5bn (~5,300 homes) as at 13 March.
Strong Cash Generation and Cash-Conversion Target
Operating profit converted to adjusted operating cash flow at 2x in H1; management targeting adjusted operating cash flow of £750–800m for FY '26 and expects operating cash flow to increase by £100–150m year-on-year.
Solid Balance Sheet and Capital Efficiency Progress
Period-end net debt modest at £72m; adjusted gearing including land creditors low at 10.3%; NAV per share rose to just over £30; WIP reduced by £39m to ~£2.3bn and land balance broadly stable at ~£2.5bn (down ~£38m).
Pricing and ASP
Average selling price (ASP) up 3.7% to just over £322,000 in H1; FY '26 ASP guidance around £325,000 driven by mix and geography.
Profit and Dividend
Underlying profit before tax slightly higher at £151m for the half; interim dividend increased by almost 10% to 23p per share.
Operational Investments and Delivery
Invested in strategic initiatives: new timber frame factory (Bellway Home Space) opened in January and already supplying 7 divisions; admin/strategic investment intended to be non-repeating and to support scale to 10,000 units.
Customer Satisfaction and Quality
Achieved 5-star HBF rating for the 10th consecutive year and HBF customer score of 4.38, the highest of any national listed housebuilder under the new scoring system.
Land Bank and Strategic Pipeline
Land bank remains ~94,000 plots (half owned/controlled, half strategic); ~80 strategic planning applications (~17,000 plots) in the system — strat pipeline has tripled in two years and should support margin recovery and outlet growth from FY '28.
Shareholder Returns
£150m buyback programme launched in October with ~£64m completed so far; company signalling flexible capital allocation and intention to return excess capital as cash generation improves.