Latest regulatory news
- 2 October 2026 Notice of trading update
- 30 September 2026 Total voting rights
- 24 September 2026 Interim results 2026
- 18 June 2026 Result of AGM
- 16 June 2026 Grant of Sharesave options
Who we are
Swift & Hale sells walking and camping kit through 128 stores in the UK and Ireland, most of them in market towns near national parks and trails, and through its website, app and printed catalogue. Peggy Swift and Martin Hale opened the first shop in Dorchester in 1973, and the shares have been listed since 2014.
Why own Swift & Hale
We are a specialist with loyal customers, our own brands and net cash, in a market that grows a little every year. The UK and Irish market for walking and camping kit is worth about £3.9bn and grows 3% to 4% a year.
Customers who come back
The Swift & Hale Club has 2.1 million members, who bought 64% of everything we sold in FY26. Members get free repairs on own-brand kit and a place on more than 3,000 led walks a year. Our net promoter score is 72.
Stores where walkers are
Most of our stores are in market towns near national parks and trails, where rents are lower and there are fewer rivals. New stores pay back in an average of 2.6 years, and we aim to have 150 by FY30.
Own brands, made to last
Hale and Swift make up 61% of sales and earn a better margin than the other brands we sell. Repairs and Hale Again, our resale range, keep customers with us long after the first sale.
One stock pool
Since March 2025 our distribution centre at Huntworth, in Somerset, has served every store and online order. Customers collect 41% of online orders from a store, which brings extra visits and costs less than home delivery.
Cash to invest and to return
We had net cash of £36.4m and no borrowings at the end of FY26. Free cash flow of £15.8m paid for new stores and repair benches and a dividend covered 2.8 times by adjusted earnings. Total shareholder return over the three years to January 2026 was 41%.
FY26 at a glance
| 52 weeks to 31 January 2026 | FY26 | FY25 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | £418.6m | £392.1m |
| Like-for-like sales growth | 4.1% | 3.3% |
| Adjusted profit before tax | £31.2m | £27.5m |
| Statutory profit before tax | £28.9m | £25.8m |
| Basic earnings per share | 23.6p | 21.0p |
| Dividend per share | 9.2p | 8.4p |
| Net cash | £36.4m | £29.7m |
| Stores | 128 | 124 |
| Club members | 2.1m | 1.8m |
In the first half of FY27, the 26 weeks to 1 August 2026, revenue rose 4.4% to £201.1m and profit before tax rose 3.7% to £11.3m. The board declared an interim dividend of 3.2p. Read the interim results, or see every report on results, reports and presentations.
Latest news
- 2 October 2026: Notice of trading update
- 30 September 2026: Total voting rights
- 24 September 2026: Interim results 2026
Earlier announcements are on the regulatory news page.
Financial calendar
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Interim results for the 26 weeks to 1 August 2026 | 24 September 2026 (published) |
| Interim dividend of 3.2p paid | 20 November 2026 |
| Q3 and Christmas trading update | 14 January 2027 |
| Financial year end (FY27) | 30 January 2027 |
| Preliminary results for FY27 | About 22 April 2027 |
| Annual Report and Accounts 2027 published | About 6 May 2027 |
| Annual general meeting | About 17 June 2027 |
We confirm each date by announcement nearer the time.
Contacts
Investor relations: 01632 960 457, or write to Investor Relations, Swift & Hale plc, Hale House, Fordington Fields, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 9SH.
For questions about your shareholding, dividends or a change of address, contact our registrar, Quayside Registrars, on 0117 496 0457 (8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday). More help for shareholders is on the shareholder information page, and the board and its committees are on governance.
Journalists can call the press office on 01632 960 789.