Helloworld FY26 slides: EBITDA rises 8% despite Middle East shock

On August 26, 2026, Helloworld Travel Limited (ASX:HLO) disclosed its FY26 financial results, showing strong underlying growth despite a challenging fourth quarter. The company reported an underlying EBITDA of $60.2 million, an 8.4% increase year-over-year, while managing approximately $200 million in customer refunds due to Middle East geopolitical tensions.

Helloworld’s shares closed at $1.56, down 0.95% from the previous close, near the lower end of its 52-week trading range of $1.34 to $2.10. Despite the external headwinds, the company's revenue grew 8.1% to $208.5 million, with a revenue margin of 5.1%, up from 4.9% in FY25. EBITDA margin expanded to 28.9% from 28.8%, while profit after tax declined 0.5% to $30.2 million.

The company declared a final dividend of 5.0 cents per share, bringing the full-year payout to approximately 10 cents. Helloworld's performance was impacted by the Middle East conflict, with TTV down 1.5% in Q3 and Q4, but strong growth in Q1 (11.9%) and Q2 (6.0%). The wholesale division achieved a 15.6% TTV growth in Australia and 5% in New Zealand, while cruise brands grew 12.3%, and ReadyRooms expanded nearly 50%.

In FY26, Helloworld completed acquisitions of Mobile Travel Agents, Gilpin Corporate Travel, and integrated Barlow Travel Group. The company now serves clients in 30 countries through 2,600 agencies and brokers, supported by over 10,000 travel advisors.