Headline
ONS M&A data lands alongside a transformative CAML/Cygnus tie-up, BATS guidance raise and Elementis pharma exit — UK Plc tone is constructively active.
What UK Plc said today
No profit warnings. The strongest concrete signal came from BATS, which raised guidance on accelerating New Categories — "we now expect to deliver mid-teens for 2026" — alongside 3-5% group revenue growth. CHG reaffirmed full-year expectations on a record £1,399.4m order book (+9.1% Countermeasures & Energetics) with "91% of expected 2026 revenue either delivered or in the order book". GHH also reaffirmed FY26, citing "record demand from US and European Aerospace and Defence" and Aerospace & Defence revenue +51.7%. LIKE reaffirmed and pointed to +16.5% LFL revenue and continued market-share gains.
Results were a mixed bag of disciplined delivery and structural drag. GBG grew revenue 3.2% (cc) with adjusted EPS +9.3%, but flagged a £73.1m goodwill impairment and guided FY27 adjusted margins down to 21-22% on a £6m investment step-up before rebuilding to 23-24%. EXR flagged going-concern doubt after revenue fell 43% and Middle East demand softened. PRIM noted its WeShop indirect holding had collapsed from US$95.00 to US$6.85, and Clean Power Hydrogen shares were suspended on 29 May.
M&A and capital actions dominated the tape. CAML announced a transformative all-share acquisition of Cygnus Metals (~A$232m), adding a Québec copper-gold project. ELM completed the €34.3m pharma disposal to ABF, repositioning as a pure-play specialty chemicals name. BEZ confirmed a recommended offer from Zurich (terms undisclosed in today's Rule 2.9). SQZ hosted a capital markets day flagging "over 50,000 boepd into the next decade", FY26 post-tax CFFO of "$470-520 million" and a 15-30% CFFO dividend policy. Buybacks and equity issuance ran in parallel: SMT placed £59.4m of stock, BOKU extended its buyback by 4m shares, SBRE launched a £5m programme, and CFX, CTY, HFEL, MYI, NCYF, TMPL tapped or returned capital in smaller size.
Statistical releases
- ONS Mergers and Acquisitions involving UK companies, Jan-Mar 2026 — quarterly M&A snapshot lands on the same day as transformative deal activity at CAML, ELM and BEZ; useful context for whether Q1 levels are sustaining.
- ONS M&A involving UK companies: Jan-Mar 2026 time series — accompanying time series for the headline release.
Policy / monetary
Nothing material from [BoE]. HMT published statutory guidance on the Reference Document for The Customs Tariff (Establishment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 — administrative tariff schedule update rather than a policy shift.
Themes
- Defence and energetics demand is real, not rhetorical. CHG (Countermeasures & Energetics +9.1%, record £1.4bn order book) and GHH (Aerospace & Defence +51.7%, +26.0% organic cc) both cite US and European demand explicitly, with capacity expansion underway (Chicago, Scotland, Norway at CHG).
- Middle East exposure is now an earnings variable. EXR cites Middle East conflict on regional demand (revenue from region down from 28% to 11% of mix); SDP notes the March 2026 Middle East outbreak triggered a market sell-off and that "severity of some risks increased"; TEM flags Iran tensions in its outlook.
- Capital return continues despite uncertainty. Buybacks, equity issuance at premium and dividend reaffirmations span BOKU, SBRE, CFX, TEM (£300m commitment), SDP (£42m), GBG (£45m completed) — boards are choosing returns over hoarding.
Watch
- CGS full-year results — 17 June 2026
- IHC full-year results — 16 June 2026
- DIA FY26 results 23 June 2026; investor presentation 26 June 2026
- OMG interim results and refined strategy — 17 June 2026
- EXR AGM — 25 June 2026
- RTC interim results presentation — 29 July 2026
- BLND CEO Joanne McNamara expected to start end-November 2026
- CAML/Cygnus scheme meeting expected mid-September 2026
- GABI care home loan portfolio disposal completion — mid-June 2026