Annual Report Summary 2026
Annual Report & Accounts 2026
FY26 was a year of strong progress for Peel Hunt, delivering our second-best revenue performance in the history of the Group. Our return to profitability, despite the difficult markets, demonstrates the success of our diversification strategy and the foundational strength of our business. We continued to manage costs carefully, embedding an effectively controlled, leaner operating model. This will continue to position the business for future growth aligned to our strategic direction.
Our business at a glance
Through our strategic advice, market intelligence and depth of liquidity provision, we have become the independent partner of choice in the UK for mid-cap and growth companies. We are known for excellence in the UK equity markets, acting for 147 listed companies and over 1,200 institutional clients, through our offices in London, New York and Copenhagen. Our sector specialist model allows our Investment Banking business to act for public and private companies alike. Through our Research and Distribution teams we can access major investors globally. Handling, on average, over 20% of daily trading volumes on the London Stock Exchange, our Execution Services business is an important liquidity provider. We offer our services as one business in a joined-up manner to achieve the best outcomes for our clients.
Our year in numbers
Chair, CEO, COO & GFD statements
"I am pleased to reflect on a year in which the Group has delivered a much stronger financial performance. The Board has been encouraged to see several key elements of our strategy come together to drive meaningful progress, underpinned by disciplined execution and a clear sense of direction."
"This was a strong financial year for Peel Hunt, thanks to the exceptional quality of our people, our unwavering commitment to our clients and a clear focus on the areas within our control."
"Since becoming COO, my focus has been on three priorities: strengthening strategic alignment across the business, embedding more rigorous performance management, and ensuring our central functions are lean, robust and closely aligned with the needs of the organisation."
"As we look ahead, our strong balance sheet provides us with the ability to deploy capital to sustain our increased rate of returns from our trading books. We will continue to pursue strategic investment opportunities whilst continuing to monitor the macroeconomic environment and challenges this may bring."
“This was a strong financial year for Peel Hunt, thanks to the exceptional quality of our people, our unwavering commitment to our clients and a clear focus on the areas within our control.”
Steven Fine, CEO
FY26 was a year of strong progress for Peel Hunt, delivering our second-best revenue performance to date. This reflects the strength of our teams and our focus on being a trusted adviser to clients. Despite challenging conditions, we remained disciplined, strengthening foundations, building a performance culture, managing costs, and positioning the business for growth.
We reached a key milestone in our sustainability agenda this year, hitting our first carbon reduction target in December 2025, while continuing to make steady progress towards our 2035 gender diversity target.
Strong risk management is fundamental to our resilience. Once again, our strong governance structure and the experience of our people has helped us proactively manage our risks as we continue to navigate the challenging macroeconomic environment.
Our governance framework, policies and processes help everyone at Peel Hunt to embody one of our key values – “doing the right thing”. We keep them under constant review to ensure they remain clear, simple and fit for purpose. That includes helping us meet our regulatory obligations.
We have continued to focus our attention on maintaining a healthy financial position by carefully managing costs. We’ve seen encouraging improvements in revenue performance, even in difficult markets, which reflects the effectiveness of our strategic direction. By prioritising investment in areas aligned with our long-term goals, we continue to advance our strategic agenda and deliver meaningful value for our clients.