Invsting.com — Rightmove (LON:RMV) upgraded its full-year underlying earnings per share growth forecast on Friday, while keeping its revenue and operating profit outlook broadly unchanged, as higher mortgage rates weighed on UK property market activity.
The UK property portal operator now expects underlying earnings per share growth of “at least 7%” in 2026, up from previous guidance of at least 5%.
Revenue growth is expected at 6% to 7%, within its previous forecast range of 6% to 8%, while underlying operating profit growth is still expected to be at least 3%, within its previous range of 3% to 5%.
Average revenue per advertiser (ARPA) growth is forecast at £100 to £110, down from previous guidance of £110 to £120, reflecting developer spending trends in New Homes. Expectations for Estate Agency ARPA remain unchanged.
In the four months to October 31, buyer demand fell 10% and sales agreed declined 9% from the same period a year earlier. The average house price on October 31 was 0.3% lower than a year earlier.
The average five-year fixed-rate mortgage rose to 5.5% on October 31 from 5% on June 30. New homes developments on site fell 6% at October 31 compared with December 31, 2025, while rental prices rose 2.9% year on year.
For 2027, Rightmove expects revenue growth similar to 2026 and ARPA growth of £100 to £110, with core membership broadly flat. It expects growth in Strategic Growth Areas of 20% to 30%.
Underlying operating profit growth is forecast at 4% to 7%, with a margin of at least 67%, while underlying earnings per share growth is expected to be at least 10%.
Rightmove expects to return more than £400 million to shareholders between July 31, 2026, and July 31, 2027.
Since July 31, approximately £125 million has been returned through an interim dividend of £30 million and share buybacks of £95 million. A further £80 million is expected to be returned through share buybacks by year-end.
Original Article
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