Hays stock rises 2.22 percent as Citigroup lifts target

Hays stock stood at GBp 64.40 on the London Stock Exchange on September 23, 2026, up 2.22 percent on the session. The move came as MarketBeat reported that Citigroup raised its price target from GBp 33 to GBp 65 while retaining a neutral rating.

Citigroup target reaches GBp 65

The revised target is only GBp 0.60 above the September 23 price, a narrow gap that contrasts with the much wider analyst range. MarketBeat lists targets from GBp 28 to GBp 95 and a consensus target of GBp 61.20.

That spread makes the target change more important as a measure of analyst disagreement than as a single directional signal. Hays stock traded below Deutsche Bank's GBp 95 target but above Jefferies' GBp 28 objective, according to the same September 23 MarketBeat report.

Fees fall while profit improves

Hays reported FY26 net fees of GBP 905.5 million and operating profit of GBP 48.6 million on its investor page. The figures describe a business still facing weaker recruitment demand, but cost actions are lifting conversion.

In the FY26 earnings call, Yahoo Finance reported that like-for-like net fees fell 8 percent to GBP 906 million, while pre-exceptional operating profit rose 3 percent to GBP 48.6 million. Cash from operations reached GBP 92 million and year-end net cash was GBP 20.1 million.

Next trading update arrives October 12

Hays lists October 12, 2026, as the date for its trading update covering the quarter ended September 30. The next checkpoint is therefore operational: September represents the largest trading month of the quarter, while management expects consultant headcount to remain broadly stable in the first quarter of FY27.

Hays stock stays below its yearly high

The reference price of GBp 64.40 on September 23, 2026, leaves Hays stock 17.91 percent below its 52-week high of GBp 78.45 and 124.55 percent above its 52-week low of GBp 28.68. Market capitalization stood at GBP 1,011,068,526 on the same date.