Stock Markets July 9, 2026 02:44 AM

Capita posts modest revenue rise but flags pension-related costs for 2026

Outsourcer wins £1bn of deals in H1 2026 while pension scheme issues will dent profits and cash flow this year

By Leila Farooq
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Capita plc reported adjusted revenue growth of 1.6% in the first half of 2026 and secured £1 billion of new contracts, marking its strongest Public Services first-half showing since 2021. The company extended its revolving credit facility to £325 million to June 2029, but warned that problems on the Civil Service Pension Scheme contract will reduce adjusted operating profit by £25 million to £40 million in 2026 and hit free cash flow by £35 million to £50 million. Capita now expects to generate positive free cash flow in 2027, excluding business exits.

Capita posts modest revenue rise but flags pension-related costs for 2026
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Key Points

  • Capita secured £1 billion of new contracts in H1 2026 and reported adjusted revenue growth of 1.6% compared with H1 2025, driven by Public Services and Pension Solutions.
  • The group extended its revolving credit facility to £325 million through June 2029, replacing the previous facilities and including options for two further one-year extensions.
  • Problems on the Civil Service Pension Scheme will reduce adjusted operating profit by £25m to £40m in 2026 and cut free cash flow by £35m to £50m; the company expects positive free cash flow in 2027 excluding business exits.

Capita plc said on Thursday that it has secured new contract wins totaling £1 billion in the first half of 2026 and achieved adjusted revenue growth of 1.6% versus the same period in 2025. The company described the result as its strongest first-half performance in Public Services since 2021.

In a move to bolster liquidity, Capita extended its revolving credit facility to £325 million through June 2029. That replaces the prior £250 million facility and an additional committed £75 million facility. The fresh arrangement includes options for two further one-year extensions.

Management warned, however, that issues on the Civil Service Pension Scheme contract will have a material near-term financial impact. The company said these problems will reduce adjusted operating profit in 2026 by between £25 million and £40 million and will weigh on free cash flow by £35 million to £50 million.

Capita signalled it still expects to deliver positive free cash flow in 2027, on a basis that excludes the impact of business disposals or exits.

Chief Executive Officer Adolfo Hernandez commented on the first-half progress: "We have made good progress in the first half, with strong momentum in contract extensions and wins, and taking further steps to simplify the Group. We are also advancing the use of technology and AI to improve delivery for clients."

The company acknowledged service shortfalls on the Civil Service Pension Scheme, noting members are experiencing delays particularly in bereavement, retirement, and quotation cases. Capita said it has processes, automation and technology in place to work through the backlog.

Within the Pension Solutions division, Capita said it will incur additional costs in 2026 to address the scheme contract issues. Those costs include surge resource spending and remediation expenses. The group also said its wider pension consulting business has been affected as personnel are redirected to focus on the scheme contract.

Operational performance varied across divisions in the six months to June 30, 2026. Public Service revenue rose by 2.4%, while Pension Solutions reported growth of 24.7% over the same period. Capita said average KPI performance in Public Service remained around 90% throughout 2026.

On disposals, the company said its private sector contact centre sale is progressing and is expected to complete before the release of its half-year results on August 4. Separately, management has implemented measures intended to deliver £8 million of annualised cost savings towards a target of £40 million by the end of 2027.


Financial and operational highlights

  • £1 billion of contracts secured in H1 2026.
  • Adjusted revenue up 1.6% year-on-year for the first half of 2026.
  • Revolving credit facility extended to £325 million through June 2029, with two one-year extension options.
  • Public Service revenue growth of 2.4%; Pension Solutions growth of 24.7% for the six months to June 30, 2026.

Outlook and cash flow

While Capita reiterated a target of returning to positive free cash flow in 2027 excluding business exits, it quantified a near-term earnings and cash flow headwind from the Civil Service Pension Scheme contract for 2026.

Risks

  • Financial impact from the Civil Service Pension Scheme contract - adjusted operating profit and free cash flow will be reduced in 2026, affecting the company and potentially investor sentiment; sectors impacted include financial markets and outsourcing services.
  • Operational and service delays on the pension scheme - backlog affecting bereavement, retirement, and quotation cases could damage client relationships and strain resources, with implications for pension consulting services and public sector delivery.
  • Resource diversion and remediation costs - additional surge resource and remediation spending in Pension Solutions may weigh on margins and slow progress in other lines of business, including the consulting arm and private sector services.

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