Essentra's turnaround efforts show promise after years of subdued manufacturing in Europe. The components distributor managed sales growth across all regions despite volume declines, with price increases covering inflation and tariffs. Adjusted operating profit fell 18% to £32mn, yet shares rose 9.5% when the company maintained its 2026 guidance, suggesting investor confidence in its margin expansion strategy.

DIY retailer Wickes demonstrated strong operational leverage with a 49% increase in operating profit as sales rose 6%. The TradePro membership scheme proved resilient with a 9% sales increase. Management plans to boost capital expenditure to £40mn-£45mn in 2026, pursuing an expanded target of 300 stores from 230, reflecting confidence in volume-driven growth.

Trustpilot leveraged AI to remove fake reviews, expanding its adjusted cash profit margin by 4.2 percentage points to 15.6%. Despite declining web traffic industry-wide, the platform saw a 45% increase in Google search traffic driven by AI summaries. With guidance for mid-teens revenue growth and 25% margin target by 2028, these results suggest AI may not threaten traditional internet businesses as feared.