Macquarie lifts dividend after first half profit edges higher

Macquarie Group Ltd on Thursday lifted its dividend and extended an ongoing share buyback programme after increasing profit during the first half of financial year 2026.

The Sydney-based banking and financial services company said net profit attributable to shareholders rose 2.7% to AUD1.66 billion, approximately USD1.07 billion, in the six month period ended September 30, up from AUD1.61 billion a year earlier.

Assets under management increased by 4.6% to AUD959.1 billion from AUD916.8 billion.

Macquarie lifted its interim dividend by 7.7% to AUD2.80 from AUD2.60 per share.

The board also decided to extend its AUD2 billion share buyback programme by an additional 12 months. As of Thursday, AUD1.01 billion in shares had been acquired on the market.

"Macquarie continues to maintain a cautious stance, with a conservative approach to capital, funding and liquidity that positions it well to respond to the current environment," the company commented.

Chief Executive Officer Shemara Wikramanayake said: "Macquarie remains well-positioned to deliver superior performance in the medium term with established, diverse income streams; deep expertise across diverse sectors in major markets with structural growth tailwinds; patient adjacent growth across new products and new markets; ongoing investment in our operating platform; a strong and conservative balance sheet; and a proven risk management framework and culture."