Motorpoint Group plc (MOTR), the UK's nationwide omnichannel used car retailer, has reported a strong set of unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 September 2026, with profit before tax rising 80.6% to £6.5m and revenue growing 6.0% to £686.7m. The group sold a record 35,430 retail units in the period, outperforming a used car market that grew by just 0.6%. Motorpoint has also set medium-term targets including selling more than 120,000 retail units annually and operating from 30 to 35 large-format stores, underpinned by its proprietary AI-driven operating platform, MotoAI.

Key Points

  • Motorpoint Group plc (MOTR) — nationwide omnichannel used car retailer operating 21 stores and digital platforms including Motorpoint.co.uk and Auction4Cars.com
  • Profit before tax increased 80.6% to £6.5m for the six months to 30 September 2026, with EBITDA up 19.9% to £16.3m
  • Interim dividend of 2.0p per share declared, up from 1.0p in H1 FY26, payable 11 December 2026 with a record date of 20 November 2026
  • Investors will be watching progress against medium-term targets including ROCE exceeding 100% and retail gross profit per unit above £1,550

MotoAI Platform Drives Record Metal Margin of £1,266 Per Unit and Lower Customer Acquisition Costs

Motorpoint's proprietary technology platform, MotoAI, was central to the group's improved unit economics in the period. Metal margin per unit reached a record £1,266, up £203 or 19.1% from £1,063 in H1 FY26, while retail gross profit per unit rose to £1,431 from £1,349. Customer acquisition cost fell to £143 per retail unit from £149, reflecting more targeted digital marketing and lead generation. The group also deployed agentic AI to re-engage customers with previously inactive enquiries. Gross profit grew at roughly twice the rate of revenue, reaching £55.4m and representing 127% of operating expenditure, compared with 121% in the prior period.

Leeds Store Opens Ahead of Plan as Motorpoint Targets 30–35 Large-Format Locations

Motorpoint opened a new large-format store in Leeds in July 2026, which the announcement states is trading ahead of plan and is expected to be profitable in its first year. The group indicates that a mature new store is expected to sell around 4,000 retail units annually and contribute approximately £3.0m of profit before tax, with average fit-out costs expected to repay within two and a half years. The Ipswich store was closed after the period end, with the nearby Norwich store being expanded to absorb the trading impact. The group now operates 21 stores and is pursuing disciplined, data-led site selection for future openings.

Wholesale Volumes Rise 9.5% Through Auction4Cars.com as Market Share Reaches 2.50%

Total vehicles sold in H1 FY27 rose 8.2% to 51,270 units. Wholesale volumes through Auction4Cars.com, Motorpoint's online B2B platform, increased 9.5% to 15,840 units, though wholesale gross profit per unit fell to £300 from £351 in H1 FY26, which the announcement attributes to more consumer-to-business vehicles being redirected to retail. Market share of the 0–6 year old used car segment increased by four basis points to 2.50%. Return on capital employed rose to 81.0% from 58.8%, supported by the group's capital-light model. Net debt excluding lease liabilities stood at £14.3m at the period end, compared with £0.5m a year earlier.

H2 FY27 Trading Momentum Continues With 9.7% Retail Volume Growth in October

Motorpoint states that strong momentum has continued into the second half, with retail volume growth of 9.7% recorded in October 2026. The group confirms that its full-year FY27 expectations remain unchanged following a consensus upgrade in September, despite what it describes as a backdrop of continued economic uncertainty, elevated inflation, and higher interest rates. The announcement notes that inventory levels have been increased to take advantage of trading opportunities in Q3. Basic earnings per share rose 84.4% to 5.9p in H1 FY27, compared with 3.2p in H1 FY26, with the interim dividend doubling to 2.0p per share in line with the group's progressive dividend policy.