Aristocrat Posts A$1,364.4 Million Net Profit and Raises Dividends 8.6%
Key Facts
Aristocrat Leisure reported results on November 12 for the financial year ended September 30, 2026, posting profit after tax from continuing operations of A$1,364.4 million, up 15.2% in reported currency and 24.0% in constant currency from the previous year. The company also reports a separate adjusted measure, NPATA, or net profit after tax before amortization of acquired intangible assets. That measure was A$1,578.5 million, up 1.8% in reported currency and 9.7% in constant currency from A$1,550.7 million in fiscal 2025. The growth picture differs depending on the currency basis: reported revenue declined despite rising in constant currency. Chief Executive Trevor Croker said profit performance reflected constant-currency revenue growth across the group’s portfolio and a continued focus on efficiency and operating leverage.
Normalised revenue was A$6,092.4 million, compared with A$6,297.0 million in fiscal 2025, a decline of 3.2% in reported currency. On a constant-currency basis, revenue rose 3.8%, highlighting the effect of exchange-rate differences on the year-on-year comparison. Revenue growth was therefore not broad-based when measured in reported terms, and the group’s result does not mean every business line grew. Croker said revenue grew in constant currency across the portfolio, linking performance to strategy execution and an ongoing focus on efficiency and operating leverage. The figures combine a decline in reported revenue with improved profit after tax, alongside stronger growth on a constant-currency basis.
Aristocrat Gaming recorded profit of A$2,208.2 million in fiscal 2026, up from A$2,161.1 million the previous year, an annual increase of 2.2%. The results point to mixed performance across the group’s businesses: revenue rose at Aristocrat Gaming and Product Madness, but Aristocrat Interactive profit declined despite revenue growth. This means revenue gains in some businesses did not translate into higher profit at every unit. The 3.2% decline in total reported revenue also puts the performance of Gaming and Product Madness in the context of mixed group-wide results. Croker said product launches in the second half across Gaming and Interactive provide clear momentum for fiscal 2027, while Product Madness continued to grow in a declining market.
Improved adjusted profit flowed through to earnings per share and dividends: fully diluted normalised earnings per share rose 4.9% to 259.3 Australian cents, with growth of 13.0% in constant currency. Total dividends for fiscal 2026 were 101.0 Australian cents per share, up 8.6% from 93.0 cents in fiscal 2025. These indicators combine an increase in per-share distributions with earnings-per-share growth, with the pace of change varying by currency basis. They are another aspect of the year’s results, alongside profit after tax and revenue, rather than a substitute for them. The company said its outlook for next year is linked to continued revenue and market-share growth at Aristocrat Gaming.
Aristocrat expects NPATA to grow in the financial year ending September 30, 2027, on a constant-currency basis, supported by continued revenue and market-share growth at Aristocrat Gaming. The outlook follows 9.7% constant-currency growth in NPATA in fiscal 2026, while growth in the same measure in reported currency was 1.8%. Croker said product launches in the second half of the year provide clear momentum for the coming financial year across Gaming and Interactive. The coming developments are not limited to operating performance: the company announced that Croker intends to retire from his role in April 2027. The board appointed Dafne Guisard as incoming chief executive effective April 2027, subject to the necessary regulatory approvals, aligning the leadership transition with the new financial year.