Freshpet Stock: Leading the Pack with Solid Earnings Results Marston’s (LON:MARS) reported what management described as a strong first half of fiscal 2026, with profit growth and continued margin expansion despite softer sales and cost pressures across the hospitality market.
Chief Executive Officer Justin Platt said the pub operator made “excellent strategic progress” in the period, particularly through the rollout of its new pub formats
The company completed 60 conversions in the first half, ahead of its plan for 50, and said those sites have performed strongly since reopening. “It’s been a really good first half for us,” Platt said. “That progress sets us up for a very strong year overall.” He added that Marston’s was maintaining its expectations for the full year. Profit rises despite lower revenue Chief Financial Officer Stephen Hopson said total revenue for the first half was £422.7 million, down 1.1% year over year. Like-for-like sales declined 0.5%, which Hopson said was ahead of the broader hospitality market.
Revenue was also affected by temporary pub closures linked to the company’s refurbishment and format conversion program. Hopson said the closure periods reduced first-half revenue by £2.2 million and EBITDA by £2 million. The average closure time for converted pubs was about three weeks.