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HBX GROUP ANNOUNCES HALF YEAR 2026 FINANCIAL RESULTS

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LONDON, May 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — HBX Group International plc (HBX Group, the Company, the Group, HBX.SM) announces its Half Year 2026 results for the six months ended 31 March 2026.  

TTV up +17% to €3.8bn, and Revenue of €309m, up +1% YoY at constant currency, reflecting targeted commercial and strategic actions to prioritise growth and capture market share, partly offset by disruption from the Middle East conflictAdjusted EBITDA up +9% at constant currency to €163m, with margin of 53% expanding +4ppts in constant currency. Profit after tax was €28m (H1 25: €(227)m).Strong cash generation with 103% cash conversion and leverage at 1.7x Adjusted Net Debt / Adjusted EBITDA. S €100m share buyback programme and a 7.5 cents per share (c.€18m) interim dividend.Executing the strategic building blocks, including the acquisition of Bridgify announced today.FY26E guidance revised to reflect the impact of Middle East conflict and macroeconomic uncertainty. New FY26 guidance is for constant currency TTV growth +11% to +15%, Revenue growth -4% to +1% and Adjusted EBITDA growth -5% to -2%, and Operating Free Cash Flow conversion between 90% and 100%. Medium-term guidance is unchanged.

First half 2026 Financial Performance Summary1

6 months
ended 31
March 2026

6 months
ended 31
March 2025

Change
constant
currency2

Change 

Total Transaction Value (TTV) (€m)

3,770

3,370

+17 %

+12 %

Revenue (€m)

309

319

+1 %

-3 %

Adjusted EBITDA (€m)

163

159

+9 %

+3 %

Delivering profitable growth

Group TTV increased to €3.8bn in the first half, up +17% at constant currency. TTV contribution increased from shorter lead-time bookings, Third Party Supply and Online Travel Agents.

Revenue of €309m, increased +1% in constant currency. Take rate was 8.2%, down 1.3ppts year‑on‑year.

Adjusted EBITDA increased 9%, with margin +4ppts.

Net finance costs were €35m, 77% lower than the prior year. The tax charge was €16m. Adjusted Earnings were €83m, up +44% at constant currency.

Delivering commercial milestones in line with strategy

Commercial progress in H1 2026 reflected HBX Group’s strategy to expand its global travel ecosystem and drive profitability through AI-driven operational efficiency and commercial performance. Key developments included new distribution partnerships in Asia-Pacific, acquisitions such as Bridgify and PerfectStay to strengthen experiences and dynamic capabilities, and new platform and fintech initiatives.

HBX group also continued embedding AI across products and operations, including AI-powered solutions for Bedsonline and HotelTech, while scaling internal AI agents already delivering measurable savings and supporting more than 120 identified use cases, reinforcing the Group’s connected B2B travel ecosystem strategy.

Regional performance and trading dynamics

TTV grew in double-digits in all three regions, up +18% in the Americas and +16% in both MEAPAC and Europe, at constant currency.

In Europe, TTV growth was supported by strong intra‑regional and domestic travel. Asia Pacific up +18%, partly offset by slower growth in the Middle East and disruption on some Europe-Asia corridors. In the Americas, TTV was predominantly driven by domestic demand.

Middle East impact and near‑term outlook

Since late February, the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East has impacted travel demand across affected destinations and selected international corridors, resulting in increased volatility, shorter booking windows and reduced near‑term visibility. The impact of this on H1 Group TTV growth was approximately 1ppt.

HBX Group implemented dynamic pricing, inventory reallocation and active partner support. Demand outside affected corridors has been more resilient.

Cost discipline, cash generation and capital allocation

Underlying operating costs fell by 5%. Performance was supported by productivity initiatives, automation and AI.

On a last 12-month basis, Operating Free Cash Flow was €447m, with cash conversion of 103% over the last 12 months. Adjusted Net Debt at 31 March 2026 stood at €741m.

Outlook

The Group started FY26 with strong performance. Since late February, trading conditions have been adversely impacted by the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East and broader geopolitical uncertainty.

The Group has revised its FY26 guidance. Updated outlook reflects a -4ppt effect of the Middle East conflict on TTV growth. Assumes four months of disruption with gradual stabilisation.

For the complete press release and disclaimer applicable to this information, please visit www.investors.hbxgroup.com

1 See financial statements for definitions of specific financial terms and KPIs, including any Alternative Performance Measures (APMs)
2 Constant currency changes exclude the impact of foreign exchange rate fluctuations by translating current year results at the exchange rates used in the prior year.

Contact: 
Clara Truyols
clatruyols@hbxgroup.com 

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SBS positioned as a Leader in the SPARK Matrix™: Digital Banking Platform 2026 by QKS Group

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The QKS Group SPARK Matrix™ provides competitive analysis & ranking of the leading digital banking platform vendors.SBS, with its comprehensive platform, has received strong ratings across technology excellence and customer impact.

PUNE, India, July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — QKS Group announced today that it has named SBS as a leader in the SPARK Matrix™: Digital Banking Platform, 2026.

Akhilesh Vundavalli, Principal Analyst at QKS Group, states, “SBS is well positioned in the evolving Digital Banking Platform market through its modular, API-first, and cloud-native approach to digital banking modernization. SBS Digital Banking Suite helps banks deliver seamless customer experiences across mobile, web, assisted, and open banking channels while supporting integration with core banking systems, lending platforms, payment capabilities, and partner ecosystems. With strong capabilities across open banking, secure API exposure, omnichannel journey configuration, cloud-native deployment, and regulatory alignment, SBS offers a compelling value proposition for banks seeking to build a future-ready digital banking operating model.”

Divya Baranawal, Vice President and Principal Analyst at QKS Group, states “SBS’ positioning as a Leader in the Digital Banking Platform market reflects its ability to address one of the most critical priorities for banks today: modernizing digital engagement without weakening operational resilience, regulatory control, or core banking alignment. SBS brings together mobile-first digital banking, onboarding, daily banking, lending journeys, SME banking, open banking, and API-led ecosystem connectivity within a modular and cloud-native platform architecture. Its strength lies not only in digital channel enablement, but also in the industrialized delivery foundation behind it, including microservices, Kubernetes-based deployment, DevSecOps practices, low-code configuration, reusable components, and upgrade-safe extensibility. This enables banks to accelerate digital transformation while preserving the stability, scalability, and compliance discipline required in regulated banking environments.”

QKS Group defines Digital Banking Platform that enables banks and FI’s to digitize banking operations and integrate various banking activities, including digital onboarding, account management, lending and deposits, payments, transfers and withdrawals, transaction management, wealth management, and fund management, to provide customers with a seamless and cohesive banking experience across all digital touch-points, such as mobile, online, kiosks, wearables, and ATMs. The platform empowers financial institutions to manage, control, and optimize their digital operations across all devices and channels, while enabling customers with real-time capabilities to manage accounts, transfer funds, and monitor finances efficiently. Furthermore, the platform leverages AI/ML and predictive analytics to deliver personalized, intelligent, and seamless customer engagement across various digital touchpoints, thereby accelerating digital transformation.

SBS differentiates itself within the Digital Banking Platform market through an enterprise-grade digital engagement layer that combines digital onboarding, daily banking, retail and SME lending, open banking, analytics, marketing campaigns, and AI-enabled user experiences within a modular platform environment. Its cloud-native architecture, API-first integration model, low-code/no-code configuration, DevSecOps delivery discipline, and Axway-powered API management capabilities enable banks to modernize digital operations while maintaining flexibility, regulatory readiness, and operational resilience. SBS’ strong open banking maturity, supported by pre-built regulatory APIs, consent management, TPP onboarding, API marketplace, sandbox capabilities, and proven API scale, further strengthens its positioning among banks looking to expand ecosystem connectivity and deliver cohesive digital banking experiences across channels.

The QKS Group SPARK Matrix™ includes a detailed analysis of the global market dynamics, major trends, vendor landscape, and competitive positioning. The study also provides a competitive analysis and ranking of the Digital Banking Platform, 2026 providers in the form of the SPARK Matrix™. The study also provides strategic information for users to evaluate different vendor capabilities, competitive differentiation, and market positions.

“We are proud to be recognized by QKS Group as a Leader in the Digital Banking Platform 2026 report. For SBS, this recognition validates our commitment to helping banks modernise their digital operating model with a cloud-native, API-first platform that supports seamless customer journeys across mobile, web, assisted and open banking channels. As financial institutions accelerate transformation, SBS Digital Banking Suite gives them the flexibility, scalability and regulatory readiness needed to innovate with confidence,” said Hassan Nasser, Deputy General Manager, SBS Digital Banking Suite at SBS.

Additional Resources:

For more information about SBS, visit sbs-software.comSPARK Matrix™ Digital Banking Platform, 2026

About SBS:

SBS is a global software company helping banks and the financial services industry reimagine how to operate in an AI-driven world. Trusted partner to more than 1,500 financial institutions and large-scale lenders across 80 countries, including Santander, Société Générale, BNP Paribas, Groupe BPCE, Crédit Agricole, La Banque Postale, HSBC, Attijariwafa Bank, Nationwide, NextGear Capital, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota FS, SBS combines 50+ years of banking domain expertise with a suite of award-winning solutions built for the AI era. SBS’s composable architecture extends across core banking, lending, payments, compliance, open banking, and asset finance.

With 2,800 employees across 50 offices worldwide, SBS is recognized as a Top 8 Global Core Banking Technology Provider by Everest Group (2026), a Strong Performer in The Forrester Wave: Digital Banking Engagement Platforms (2026), a SPARK Matrix Leader in Digital Banking Platforms (2025), a Top 10 European Fintech by IDC (2025), a Leader in Omdia’s Universe: Digital Banking Platforms (2024), and a Leader in Everest Group’s Banking Customer Experience Orchestration PEAK Matrix (2024). SBS is part of 74Software alongside Axway, forming an international software group. SBS is headquartered in Paris, France.

Media Contact:
Anton Golovchenko
Head of External Communication 
anton.golovchenko@sbs-software.com 

About QKS Group

QKS Group is a global analyst and advisory firm helping enterprises, technology vendors, and investors make trusted, data-driven decisions. Our portfolio spans the flagship SPARK Matrix™ evaluation framework, SPARK Plus™ analyst advisory platform, QKS Intelligence™ for market and competitive tracking, and QKS Community™ for CXO leaders and practitioners. All offerings are powered by a Human-Intelligence-driven framework and QKS’s closed-loop research methodology – integrating expert-led insights, quantitative modeling, and continuous validation to deliver credible, outcome-focused intelligence.

For more available research, please visit Research.

Media Contacts:
Anish K 
PR & Media Relations
QKS Group 
5th Floor, Wing 2, Cluster C, 
EON Free Zone, Kharadi,
Pune, India
Email: support@qksgroup.com
Content Source: https://qksgroup.com/newsroom/sbs-positioned-as-a-leader-in-the-spark-matrix-digital-banking-platform-2026-by-qks-group-1743
Connect with us on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/qksgroup/

 

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BC.GAME’s BC Engine Stakers Have Earned Over $5 Million

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Total staker earnings have increased by nearly $2.9 million in two months, up approximately 138% from the $2.1 million reported in late May

BELIZE CITY, Belize, July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Stakers participating in BC.GAME’s BC Engine have now earned more than 5 million BCD, equivalent to approximately $5 million, since the system launched in April 2026.

The figure represents rewards already generated through completed BC Engine settlement rounds. It does not include projected future earnings, unrealised token value or calculations based on movements in the market price of $BC.

On 28 May, BC.GAME reported that BC Engine stakers had earned more than 2.1 million BCD. Around two months later, total earnings have increased by nearly 2.9 million BCD, representing growth of approximately 138%.

The latest total is now around 2.38 times the amount disclosed in May.

Launched on 8 April 2026, BC Engine distributes BCD rewards through hourly settlement rounds based on users’ eligible $BC holdings. After each round, the corresponding rewards are recorded in users’ BC Engine accounts.

Users can track their active balance, total earnings, unclaimed BCD, the next settlement round and previous distribution records directly through the BC Engine interface.

Unlike a one-time reward campaign, BC Engine continues to distribute rewards as new hourly settlements are completed. The increase from $2.1 million to more than $5 million shows the pace at which rewards have continued to accumulate since the initial milestone was reported.

It also provides a clearer measure of $BC’s use within the BC.GAME ecosystem, with the total based on BCD already earned by participating stakers rather than future projections.

BC Engine’s latest earnings data and individual reward records can be viewed at bc.game/bc.

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SOURCE BC.GAME

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Celebree School Invests in Scalable Development Infrastructure to Accelerate Franchise Growth

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Enhanced Support Model Helps Franchise Owners Navigate Development Process with Greater Confidence and Efficiency

BALTIMORE, July 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Celebree School, a franchise leader in early childhood education with roots dating back to 1994, announces a significant expansion of its franchise development infrastructure designed to support continued growth across key markets nationwide.

Celebree’s enhanced support model helps franchisees navigate development process with confidence and efficiency

As demand for high-quality early childhood education continues to outpace supply in many communities, Celebree School is strengthening the systems, resources, and expertise available to franchise owners throughout the development journey – from market selection and site evaluation to construction, opening, and ongoing operations.

Building a More Efficient Path to School Openings – Expanded Development Platform Includes:

Dedicated leadership focused exclusively on real estate and construction.Internal site underwriting and evaluation before opportunities are presented to franchise candidates.A growing network of pre-approved architects, contractors, and specialized vendors.Enhanced relationships with lenders and development partners.Structured milestone-based support throughout site selection, construction, and school opening.

“Opening a childcare center is one of the most complex projects in franchising,” said Mark Lubin, Chief Development Officer of Celebree School. “Success requires the right real estate strategy, construction expertise, and development support. That’s why we’ve invested in scalable infrastructure that helps franchisees navigate the process with greater confidence and helps position them for long-term success.”

The initiative comes as childcare operators across the industry face rising construction costs, longer development timelines, and increasing competition for high-quality real estate. In response, Celebree School has focused on creating more efficient and scalable development processes that help franchisees navigate today’s evolving market conditions.

Adaptive Reuse Creates New Growth Opportunities

As commercial real estate continues to evolve, more second-generation spaces are becoming viable opportunities for childcare centers.

“Brands that can effectively evaluate and retrofit existing properties will have a meaningful advantage when it comes to speed to market,” added Lubin. “We’re building systems that allow franchisees to assess opportunities quickly and make informed development decisions.”

Unlike many emerging franchisors, Celebree School continues to operate company-owned locations, providing real-time operational insights – such as adaptive reuse opportunities – that help inform site selection, facility design, and development best practices.

Supporting Growth in High-Demand Markets

The company’s growth strategy focuses on expanding within both major metropolitan areas and high-potential emerging markets where demand for early childhood education remains strong. Current target growth markets include Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Denver, Indianapolis, and Phoenix.

“Childcare is becoming recognized as essential community infrastructure,” added Lubin. “Developers, municipalities, and landlords increasingly understand the value that quality early childhood education brings to families and neighborhoods. We’re committed to providing franchisees with the tools and support they need to capitalize on that opportunity.”

Strong Economics Continue to Drive Interest

For entrepreneurs seeking a purpose-driven franchise opportunity in the growing early childhood education sector, Celebree School’s enhanced development support platform represents another step in the company’s commitment to franchisee performance and sustainable long-term growth.

Prospects are taking note of the business opportunity, as Celebree School’s Franchise Disclosure Document reports $2.26M AUV for company-operated schools open and operating throughout 2025**. Recently, Celebree introduced a 0% royalty incentive for new franchise owners*.

For more information about Celebree School franchise opportunities, please visit https://franchise.celebree.com/.

About Celebree School
Founded in 1994, Celebree School is a leader in early childhood education that provides infant and toddler care, preschool, and summer camp programs. With a mission to Grow People Big and Small™, Celebree School believes success in early childhood development is equal parts curriculum and connection. Each school employs a customized program that addresses the physical, social, emotional, and academic needs of children and follows applicable state guidelines. In 2019, Celebree School launched its franchise offering. In 2024, Celebree School’s founder, Richard Huffman, launched a new parent company called Huffman Family Brands, merging Celebree affiliated concepts under one multi-brand company structure. Learn more about how we grow confident children who are prepared for school and life at Celebree.com. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

*This is not an offer to sell a franchise. An offer can be made only by means of a Franchise Disclosure Document that has been registered and approved by the appropriate agency in your state, if your state requires such registration.

**Based on annual financial performance results for the 26 Company-Operated Schools across Maryland and Delaware that were considered “mature” and that were operated by our affiliates that were open and operating throughout 2025. A mature school is defined as a School that has been open for at least 24 months. This information is presented in Item 19 of our April 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document along with additional financial performance data related to the performance of our outlets. If you purchase a franchise, your results may differ from the represented performance. We can’t guarantee the success of any franchise and you must accept the risk of not doing as well. 

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SOURCE Celebree School

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