The Law Debenture Corporation (LWDB) H1 2026 earnings summary

Executive summary

• Achieved strong performance with NAV total return of 11.4% and share price total return of 16.2% for H1 2026, both outperforming the FTSE All-Share Index by significant margins year-over-year.

• Continued 47-year record of maintaining or increasing dividends, with a 6% increase in the first interim dividend to 8.875p per share.

• Announced transition in portfolio management: James Henderson to retire in June 2027, with Laura Foll assuming sole management.

Financial highlights

• NAV at fair value rose to £1,577.6m (1,183.86p per share) as of 30 June 2026, up from £1,440.4m at year-end 2025.

• Group revenue for H1 2026 was £61.5m, with investment income of £25.4m (up from £22.5m in H1 2025).

• Net capital gain on investments was £127.7m (H1 2025: £132.4m).

• Profit for the period was £152.3m (H1 2025: £155.0m).

• Ongoing charges remained low at 0.54%.

Outlook and guidance

• Board intends to maintain or increase the total 2026 dividend, building on the 2025 total of 35.5p per share.

• IPS business expected to continue mid to high single-digit growth for the full year.

• Management remains confident in resilience and long-term value creation despite ongoing geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty.