Ansell (ASX:ANN) announced its financial performance for the first half of fiscal year 2026, characterised by double-digit earnings growth and significant margin expansion despite subdued global market conditions.
For the period ended Dec. 31, 2025, the safety solutions giant reported sales of $1.03 billion, a modest 0.7% increase on a reported basis, though organic constant currency sales saw a slight dip of 0.6%.
Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) edged up by 15.3% to $146.9 million, driven by improved sourcing productivity and a material drop in air freight costs.
This efficiency pushed EBIT margins up by 180 basis points to 14.3%.
Shareholders were particularly rewarded as adjusted earnings per share climbed 19.0% to 66.3 cents, while the interim dividend was hiked to 26.60 cents per share.
Ansell’s industrial segment led the way with 3.4% adjusted organic growth, bolstered by new product launches in the mechanical category.
While the healthcare segment faced lower volumes in single-use exams, it still managed an adjusted growth of 1.1%.
"Our balance sheet remains a position of strength," the company noted, citing a high cash conversion rate of 112% which supported $47 million in share buybacks.
Ansell confirmed it is on track to offset higher US tariffs and maintained its full-year guidance for Adjusted EPS between $1.37 and $1.49.