Sydney, February 19, 2026, 17:58 AEDT — The market has closed.
- Sonic Healthcare jumped 9.9% to finish at A$23.34.
- Net profit up 11% for the half-year; FY26 earnings guidance stays put
- The interim dividend is up to 45 Australian cents. Shares trade ex-dividend March 4.
Sonic Healthcare surged 9.9% at the close on Thursday. The diagnostics and imaging player delivered stronger first-half earnings and reaffirmed its full-year guidance.
The spike is notable—Sonic’s been depending on cost reductions and folding in acquisitions to prop up margins as it navigates some rough patches in its U.S. segment. This latest update comes just as the stock is about to go ex-dividend in early March, a timing twist that tends to attract fast-money buyers and can throw a wrench into price action.
The question now is if the company can maintain its earnings range as-is, without unexpected restructuring moves cropping up again—especially overseas, where currency fluctuations tend to muddy the waters.
Sonic posted a 17% jump in revenue to A$5.445 billion for the half-year through Dec. 31, with net profit up 11% to A$262 million. EBITDA came in 10% higher at A$907 million. The company stuck with its constant-currency EBITDA forecast for FY26, still calling for A$1.87 billion to A$1.95 billion, excluding FX swings. Chief executive Jim Newcombe pointed to “the strength and global diversity” underpinning the group’s performance. Company Announcements
The company reported earnings per share up 8% to 53.1 Australian cents. Cash from operations climbed 10% to A$682 million, according to the statement.
Sonic bumped its interim dividend up by 1 cent, taking it to 45 Australian cents per share. Shares go ex-dividend March 4, record date lands March 5, and payment is set for March 19. The payout comes 60% franked.
Management pointed to an operating review underway for its U.S. business, with anatomical pathology operations set for rationalisation. Margins in the segment have taken a hit from sluggish organic growth and ongoing restructuring costs, the company said.
Sonic laid out fresh details on capital management in slides released with its results, flagging a sale-and-leaseback of its Brisbane hub lab. That deal could bring in between A$450 million and A$500 million, with the group eyeing completion by June 2026. The company also highlighted it may use surplus capital for on-market share buy-backs, contingent on how much it nets from property sales.
The risks, though, are clear enough. Should U.S. volumes remain sluggish or costs push higher, that earnings range might suddenly feel cramped—and any lift in the share price could unwind fast.
Investors are eyeing further details from the U.S. review and movement on property transactions. Up soon: the ex-dividend date on March 4, with the interim dividend slated for March 19.
