Barclays and Unilever, two major FTSE 100 companies, raised their full-year financial guidance on July 28, 2026, following better-than-expected second-quarter earnings.
The upgrades were driven by robust revenues and surging volume growth during the period.
>>> Browns Open Training Camp with Watson-Sanders Quarterback Battle
Barclays Beats Profit Expectations
Barclays reported a second-quarter pretax profit of 3.25 billion pounds, surpassing market forecasts of 3.12 billion pounds.
Total quarterly income rose 16 percent to 8.34 billion pounds, prompting the bank to lift its full-year income forecast to around 31.5 billion pounds.
The lender also announced an increased interim dividend of 5.9 pence per share and a new 1.0 billion pound share buyback program.
Barclays maintained its broader target of returning 10 billion pounds to shareholders through 2026.
“I am pleased with another strong quarter for Barclays,” said CEO CS Venkatakrishnan.
Unilever Posts Strong Volume Growth
Consumer goods giant Unilever posted a 5.8 percent increase in second-quarter underlying sales growth, beating market consensus of 4.3 percent.
>>> British Train Drivers Union Warns of Strikes Over Toilet Shortage
First-half pretax profit rose 1.8 percent to 4.66 billion euros, with revenues reaching 25.62 billion euros.
Following its strongest volume performance in over a decade, Unilever adjusted its 2026 full-year underlying sales growth target toward the upper end of its 4 to 6 percent range.
Expected volume growth was raised to around 3 percent.
“We have delivered a strong volume-led performance in the first half, with a significant step-up in the second quarter,” said CEO Fernando Fernandez.
He noted that all business groups delivered volume-led growth, with emerging markets like India, Indonesia, and Latin America showing strong momentum.
Fernandez also addressed the planned sale of its foods segment to McCormick, saying the deal is progressing well and will make Unilever a focused pureplay home and personal care company.
>>> Oil Prices Fall as US-Iran Hostilities Pause, Easing Supply Fears
“These results show our ability to continue performing while transforming our portfolio,” he added.
