ITV posts modest H1 growth, cites ad rules and World Cup for mixed results

ITV disclosed that its first-half 2026 performance was steady, with group revenue unchanged at £1.9 billion and a modest 2% lift in its core profit centres. Adjusted EBITA rose to £145 million, up from £142 million a year earlier but still far below the £212 million recorded in the same period of 2024, a dip the company attributes to weaker England World Cup results. Advertising revenue increased 8% on the back of World Cup demand, yet the sector absorbed a £20 million loss from the October 2025 junk-food advertising ban.

ITV Studios, which will be floated as a separate listed entity, posted a 9% drop in EBITA to £97 million, citing the timing of content deliveries. Meanwhile, the streaming service ITVX delivered a 27% rise in viewing and a 13% jump in ad sales. CEO Carolyn McCall pledged an interim dividend of 1.7p and a £100 million share repurchase, and confirmed that the Sky acquisition is progressing through the regulatory process.