Brief

Halfords sales rise 7% in first half as warm weather fuels demand

The retailer posted double‑digit growth in motoring, cycling and autocentre sales, yet its shares dropped after warning of investment pressure.

By Felo News Desk · Published Thu, 22 Oct 2026 04:36:22 GMT

Halfords said its like‑for‑like sales grew 7.1% in the six months to 2 October, boosted by unusually warm summer weather, according to a company release reported by Standard.

The growth split across its divisions: retail sales rose 7.7%, motoring 7.3% and cycling 8.3%, while autocentres saw a 6.1% increase. The firm, which operates 367 stores, two performance‑cycling outlets and 497 garages, attributed the momentum to strong demand for seasonal categories such as bikes, camping gear and air‑conditioning services.

Halfords reaffirmed its target of £55‑£65 million underlying pre‑tax profit for the year, but warned that upcoming investment plans will weigh on second‑half profitability. Shares fell 8.3% on Wednesday morning following the announcement.

Key facts

Halfords like‑for‑like sales rose 7.1% in the half‑year to 2 October (standard.co.uk)
Retail sales grew 7.7%, motoring 7.3% and cycling 8.3% in the same period (standard.co.uk)
Autocentres sales increased 6.1% over the half‑year (standard.co.uk)
Shares dropped 8.3% after the company warned of investment pressure on second‑half profit (standard.co.uk)
Halfords targets £55‑£65 million underlying pre‑tax profit for the financial year (standard.co.uk)