The FTSE 100 results you won’t want to miss this summer
As the UK’s biggest companies prepare to publish results, City writer Graeme Evans has the key dates for your diary and what to expect from heavyweights like Rolls-Royce, Lloyds Bank and GSK.
22nd July 2026 08:42
by Graeme Evans from interactive investor
Rolls-Royce CEO Tufan Erginbilgic and CFO Helen McCabe. Credit: Jason Alden/Rolls-Royce via Flickr.
Despite potentially increased volatility and other risks for stock market investors over the summer, the holiday season can be both a prosperous and perilous time for stock pickers.
Last summer’s results by Rolls-Royce Holdings (LSE:RR.) triggered massive upside for shares, cementing the aeroengine giant among the five biggest companies in the FTSE 100 index.
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Plenty of retail investors chose to lock in profits following the results-day advance as Rolls ranked the most traded stock on the ii platform, with only 21% buyers.
Meanwhile, Taylor Wimpey (LSE:TW.) lost its place in the FTSE 100 in the aftermath of last year’s interim results as shares slumped on confirmation that market conditions had softened in recent weeks.
Average dividend income of between 3% and 3.1% also means the FTSE 100 earnings season is important for planning future income, as well as for those investors who see opportunities based on trading ex-dividend dates.
Key dates in late July and August
A recent record of beat-and-raise results means Rolls-Royce has set itself a high bar ahead of half-year figures on 30 July.
Airline sector turbulence will have made its task harder, although Bank of America believes that Rolls’ relatively young engine fleet and a structurally strengthening widebody cycle supports the all-important outlook for flying hour growth.
UK banks should report more strong quarterly figures, boosted by robust lending volumes and tailwinds from low-risk structural hedges that smooth out interest rate volatility.
Barclays (LSE:BARC), which is the first to post figures on 28 July, has the additional benefit of a bumper quarter of dealmaking in US capital markets. Domestic lenders Lloyds Banking Group (LSE:LLOY) and NatWest Group (LSE:NWG) follow on 30 July and 31 July, with Standard Chartered (LSE:STAN) on 29 July and fellow Asia-focused bank HSBC Holdings (LSE:HSBA) on 4 August.
Shell (LSE:SHEL) and BP (LSE:BP.) are due to announce bumper profits on 30 July and 4 August respectively, with excess cash from much higher energy prices a significant benefit for the latter in terms of its balance sheet deleveraging.
BP’s debt position recently caused it to put its share buyback programme on hold, at a time when rival Shell had been returning cash at a quarterly rate of $3.5 billion.
Harbour Energy (LSE:HBR) is due to report on 6 August, followed by the 9.5% yielding North Sea-focused production firm Ithaca Energy Ordinary Share (LSE:ITH) in the second half of August.
Income investors will also be focused on the performance of 7.5% yielding Legal & General Group (LSE:LGEN) on 5 August and Direct Line owner Aviva (LSE:AV.) on 14 August.
L&G shares have risen towards 300p for the first time since 2022 as confidence builds in its ability to sustainably grow the dividend.
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Aviva boss Amanda Blanc recently reported an excellent start to the year as she backed her firm to “deliver even more for our customers and shareholders this year”. City firm Berenberg sees compound annual dividend growth of 6.5% between 2026-28, with a recurring £350 million buyback on top.
The mining sector results season begins with London and Melbourne-listed Rio Tinto Ordinary Shares (LSE:RIO) on the evening of 28 July before Anglo American (LSE:AAL) on 30 July.
Glencore (LSE:GLEN), which follows on 5 August, has been among the best-performing stocks in the sector as its legacy assets in coal and oil and its commodity trading arm have delivered robust cash flows at a time of heightened concerns about energy security.
Other FTSE 100 stocks to watch include AstraZeneca (LSE:AZN) on 27 July, BAE Systems (LSE:BA.) on 30 July and International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (LSE:IAG) on 31 July.
The BA and Iberia owner said in May that it was 70% hedged on jet fuel for the remainder of the year, adding that it expected to recover around 60% of the higher cost during this year via revenue and cost management actions.
Games Workshop Group (LSE:GAW) annual results on 28 July will mark another strong year for the Warhammer hobby firm, which recently saw its stock market valuation top £7 billion for the first time. The reception to the latest edition of Warhammer 40,000: Armageddon and developments in the creation of a film and television series by Amazon will be among areas of focus.
High street bellwether Next (LSE:NXT) is due to deliver a second-quarter update on 5 August, while under-pressure travel retailer WH Smith (LSE:SMWH) is likely to post a trading statement ahead of its 31 August year-end.
Persimmon (LSE:PSN) interim results on 6 August will be its first update since its AGM update in late April, when it reported a 7% rise in private forward sales for the first months of the year. Mortgage affordability concerns and rising costs mean its shares and those of FTSE 250-listed Taylor Wimpey, which reports on 31 July, have been hit hard by the Middle East war.
A big summer for Lloyds and GSK
Lloyds Banking Group boss Charlie Nunn will set out the next phase of the lender’s strategy when he posts interim results on 30 July.
The current plan has seen Lloyds generate about £2 billion of additional revenues from strategic initiatives in the period up to the end of 2026, well above its initial £1.5 billion target.
Dividend growth topped 80% versus 2021’s level, including a 15% jump in 2025’s award.
Shore Capital expects dividends and share buybacks totalling £17.9 billion over the next three years, which is equivalent to almost 30% of the current market capitalisation.
A step change in efficiency on the back of AI investment is likely to be among areas of focus as Nunn attempts to narrow the company’s cost/income gap to NatWest.
Non-interest income has been growing at high single digits every quarter in the last two to three years, with Nunn set to discuss further opportunities in retail wealth and investments.
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New GSK boss Luke Miels will deliver an update on the pharma’s portfolio growth opportunities when he reports interim results on 28 July. This replaced the original intention for a June investor event focused on its HIV drugs.
UBS does not expect any change to GSK’s previous target of more than £40 billion risk adjusted sales by 2031, given that this was reiterated alongside the recent acquisition of oncology therapies-focused Nuvalent.
The bank said: “While we do not expect a change to the £40 billion guide (ex-Nuvalent), we do see the potential for changes in the building blocks to get there.” It highlights a current £4 billion shortfall between GSKvs 2031 guidance and the City’s consensus view.
Miels recently reiterated GSK’s pledge to pay an improved total dividend of 70p a share for 2026.
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