Insurance group Aviva has delivered its fifth consecutive year of profit growth, a hike in the dividend and has launched a buyback of its shares.
Group operating profit was up 25% to £2.2 billion (2024: £1.767m) and the board is proposing a 10% rise in the final dividend to 26.2p per share. The company has announced a £350m shares buyback.
In general insurance premiums grew by 18% and secured strong levels of profitability in the UK, Ireland and Canada. In wealth it cemented its position as the number one player with over £230 billion of assets. It attracted record net inflows of almost £11 billion and won over 500 new workplace pension schemes.
Chief executive Amanda Blanc said: “We have achieved our 2026 financial targets one year early, highlighting the rapid and sustained progress we are making.
“We have transformed Aviva over the last five years and whilst we have made significant progress, there is so much more to come.”
Nick Sherrard, managing director of Label Sessions, said: “Sentiment on Aviva has become much more positive, although cautiously so. Today’s results should go some way towards boosting analysts’ view of the company, with targets achieved ahead of schedule and strong evidence that management’s change programme has taken hold and is delivering results.
“But the key challenge right now for Aviva is execution in a more competitive market where there is real pricing pressure, as is the challenge of integrating Direct Line at pace.
“The opportunity for the future, though, is meaningful: if Aviva can build products, brands, and experiences that customers are loyal to then the medium-term prospects of the group are transformed. Smart leaders will look to some of the smaller brands in its portfolio, like Green Flag, to prove the innovation engine in the mothership is just as strong as the financial one.”
ITV
ITV posted full-year results ahead of market expectations, with revenue up 1% to £3.5 billion, driven by 5% growth in ITV Studios’ which, along with media & entertainment, accounts for two-thirds of revenue.
A 10% growth in digital revenues offset a decline in linear advertising. Group adjusted EBITA decreased by 1% to £534 million.
The company achieved £63 million in permanent non-content cost savings and is continuing discussions with Sky regarding a possible sale of the M&E business.
The company is proposing a 5p per share dividend.
Carolyn McCall, ITV chief executive, said: “ITV delivered a good performance in 2025, ahead of current market expectations and against a challenging market backdrop. With a strong digital platform, we have successfully capitalised on growth opportunities, delivered resilient profits and generated good levels of cash.
Taylor Wimpey
Profits plunged at homebuilder Taylor Wimpey, largely because of cladding fire safety provisions and competition commitments.
Despite revenue rising 13% to £3.84 billion, pre-tax profit fell 54.3% to £146.5 million. Adjusted operating profit rose slightly to £420.6m, though the adjusted operating profit margin decreased to 10.9% from 12.2% in 2024.
Completions increased by 6% to 11,229 homes, and the board proposed a final dividend of 2.95p per share and a £52.3m share buyback through an arrangement with Citigroup Global Markets.
Looking ahead, Taylor Wimpey anticipates 2026 completions to be between 10,600 and 11,000 homes, with an expected adjusted operating profit of around £400 million, reflecting softer pricing and build cost inflation.
Harbour Energy
Harbour Energy plc reported record production for the year ended 31 December, an 84% increase from 2024, alongside a 22% reduction in unit operating costs to $12.8/boe.
The company generated $1.1 billion in free cash flow, a significant improvement from $0.1 billion in the prior year.
Linda Z Cook, chief executive, said: “”2025 was a year of significant progress for Harbour. We delivered excellent operational performance while maintaining capital discipline and integrating new assets. This drove record production and higher free cash flow against a backdrop of lower commodity prices.”
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