Bunzl has recorded a 2% increase in its share price after it reiterated its 2026 guidance in its full-year results.

In the year to 31 December, the specialist distribution and services group reported 0.6% year-on-year revenue growth at constant exchange rates, which totalled just over £11.8bn. The firm said this was driven by acquisitions.

Meanwhile, its adjusted operating profit dropped by 4.3% to £910m, which fell in line with expectations. This included a £7.8m credit related to prior years’ share-based awards.

Bunzl’s profit before tax also reduced by 7.4% to £787.1m due to the decline in adjusted operating profit and the increase in its net finance expense.

In this period, the firm announced eight acquisitions with committed spend of £132m, which is a "significantly lower level of spend" following a strong 2024.

Furthermore, Bunzl also completed a £200m share buyback in 2025.

In its outlook, the group said that its pipeline remains active and it is witnessing an "improving outlook" for acquisitions in 2026.

Bunzl has also reiterated its guidance for the current financial year, despite continuing economic and geopolitical uncertainties.

It expects moderate revenue growth, driven by some underlying revenue growth and a small benefit from announced acquisitions. Its operating margin is expected to be down slightly year-on-year.

Chief executive officer at Bunzl, Frank van Zanten, commented: "Our 2026 guidance for a more stable profit outlook remains unchanged and provides a foundation from which to deliver long-term profitable growth.

"The fundamentals of Bunzl's business model are robust and I am confident in our ability to generate resilient, compounding growth over the medium-term, leveraging our scale advantage, entrepreneurial culture and ability to deploy strong cash generation to further consolidate our fragmented global markets."

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