Halfords, the motoring and cycling retailer, has reported a 7.1% rise in like-for-like sales for the first half of its financial year, backing the upgraded profit guidance it issued in August.
The strong trading, covering the 26 weeks to 2 October 2026, confirms the group is on track to meet the higher targets set out in its August update.
Retail like-for-like sales grew 7.7%, with the cycling division outperforming at 8.3% and motoring products rising 7.3%.
The group's Autocentres garage business delivered like-for-like sales growth of 6.1%.
Halfords said the performance was driven by good execution against its strategic priorities and strong demand for seasonal categories during the warm summer months.
The company continues to expect underlying profit before tax of between £55 million and £65 million for the full year to March 2027.
However, Halfords cautioned that accelerated investment in marketing and technology during the second half means profit will be weighted towards the first half.
Chief executive Henry Birch said the business had performed positively through the first half, benefiting from seasonal tailwinds and strong strategic execution.
"We move into the second half with confidence and look forward to sharing more detail on our progress at our interim results announcement later next month," he said.
Halfords operates 367 stores under its main brand, alongside two Performance Cycling outlets trading as Tredz, 497 consumer garages and 91 commercial fleet locations.
The group also runs around 250 mobile service vans and 550 commercial vehicles, and sells a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform for garage operators in the United States and Australia through its Avayler subsidiary.
