In its trading update for the twelve months to 30 June 2026, the infrastructure services, construction and property group confirmed that the strong momentum seen in the first half of the year carried through to the second half. The order book grew 8% year-on-year to around £11.9bn, giving Kier visibility over more than 90% of its forecast revenue for the coming financial year.

Two Scottish contracts stand out among the wins reported over the past year. In Construction, growth has been driven by the ramp-up of a number of significant projects, including HMP Glasgow, a scheme that has benefited from Kier’s growing in-house mechanical and electrical capability being deployed across all its regions.

The second half of the year also brought new Scottish work into the order book, with Kier securing initial works on the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion in Edinburgh, part of a wave of NHS hospital investment that also included an upgrade of theatres at Chapel Allerton in Leeds. These awards sit alongside Kier’s place on the £37bn Hospital 2.0 Alliance framework, positioning the group for further healthcare work across the UK, including Scotland, in the years ahead.

Beyond Scotland, the picture was one of broad-based growth. In Infrastructure, continued strong growth in water projects was supported by good momentum in highways and rail, spanning design, build and maintenance work.

New business in the second half included around £1.5bn of infrastructure awards across core markets such as nuclear, water and environment — among them the North Plaza main entrance at Sizewell C, the first £200m tranche of the STEP fusion energy programme, a two-year £140 million extension to South West Water’s Network Services Alliance, and the £100m Bridgwater Tidal Barrier continuation contract for the Environment Agency.

Construction secured more than £1bn of new business in the same period, with over £300m of education work and the £60m HMP Wandsworth fire safety programme adding to the pipeline. Kier’s overall framework positions, including the £15bn Education Construction Framework 2025, now cover programmes worth around £150bn in total — a scale of opportunity the group says is closely aligned with the UK Government’s 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy, particularly its planned spending on water, nuclear and defence.

The Property business also saw increased activity compared with the prior year, though transaction timings were affected by wider macroeconomic turbulence.

Kier’s financial position improved markedly over the year. The group expects to report an average month-end cash position of around £11m for FY26, a significant turnaround from an average net debt position of £49m the previous year. Period-end net cash is expected to reach approximately £232m, up around 14% on the prior year’s £204m.

Kier will publish its full FY26 results on 15 September 2026, when it will also set out an update on its strategic priorities aimed at driving enhanced shareholder returns over the medium term.

Chief executive Stuart Togwell said the group had seen “further good momentum” through the second half of the year, pointing to the notable increase in the order book as evidence of “substantial high quality opportunities across critical UK infrastructure.”

He added that Kier’s market positions and end-to-end capabilities provide “a compelling platform for continued growth” as the business looks ahead to the next phase of its journey.