Cairn Homes shares rise over 5% as interim profit surges and buyback scheme launched

Cairn Homes plc (LSE:CRN), the Irish housebuilder listed on Euronext Dublin and the London Stock Exchange, saw its shares rise over 5% to 236.00p on Wednesday after reporting strong interim results.

Earnings per share rose 82% year on year to 9.3 cents in the six months to 30 June 2026, while operating cash flow improved by €141.0 million to an inflow of €22.4 million. Revenue reached €455.5 million from 1,139 units, up 60% from the same period last year, while gross profit rose 54% to €96.9 million.

Cairn's closed and forward order book stood at 5,020 homes worth €1.89 billion across 30 sites, providing visibility on growth into 2027.

Cairn announced a new €50 million share buyback programme, starting on Wednesday and potentially running until 1 September 2027, alongside an interim dividend of 4.5 cent per share, up from 4.1 cent.

The company also upgraded its full-year guidance, with revenue expected at about €1.08 billion, operating profit at about €185 million and return on equity at about 17.0%. Net debt fell to €194.5 million from €307.4 million a year earlier, while operating cash flow improved to an inflow of €22.4 million.