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BAE Systems (FY Results): strong performance

BAE Systems edged past profit expectations, but guidance for the new year looks a touch conservative.
BAE Systems - on track for full year

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BAE Systems’ full-year sales rose 10% to £30.7bn, at the top end of company guidance. All divisions contributed positively, with Platforms & Services growing at the fastest pace, up 17%.

Underlying operating profits grew by 12% to £3.3bn, slightly ahead of market forecasts. The order book grew by £5.8bn to a record £83.6bn.

Free cash flow fell from £2.5bn to £2.2bn (£1.4bn expected). Net debt, including lease liabilities, improved from £6.9bn to £5.6bn.

In 2026, sales and underlying operating profits are expected to grow between 7-9% and 9-11% respectively.

A final dividend of 22.8p per share was announced, taking the full-year total to 36.3p, up 10%.

The shares rose 2.5% in early trading.

Our view

HL view to follow.

BAE Systems key facts

All ratios are sourced from LSEG Datastream, based on previous day’s closing values. Please remember yields are variable and not a reliable indicator of future income. Keep in mind key figures shouldn’t be looked at on their own – it’s important to understand the big picture.

This article is original Hargreaves Lansdown content, published by Hargreaves Lansdown. It was correct as at the date of publication, and our views may have changed since then. Unless otherwise stated estimates, including prospective yields, are a consensus of analyst forecasts provided by LSEG. These estimates are not a reliable indicator of future performance. Yields are variable and not guaranteed. Investments rise and fall in value so investors could make a loss.

This article is not advice or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any investment. No view is given on the present or future value or price of any investment, and investors should form their own view on any proposed investment.

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Written by
Aarin Chiekrie
Aarin Chiekrie
Equity Analyst

Aarin is a member of the Equity Research team and a CFA Charterholder. Alongside our other analysts, he provides regular research and analysis on individual companies and wider sectors. Having a keen interest in global economics, he knows how macro-events can impact individual companies.

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Article history
Published: 18th February 2026