Why Manchester United Stock Fumbled Today
Key Points
Manchester United barely grew its revenue in fiscal 2026, and reported a big net loss.
Next year's forecast looks better for revenue -- but worse for profit.
Shares of the publicly traded football (i.e., soccer) club Manchester United (NYSE: MANU) slipped 3% in the first 15 minutes of trading Wednesday, after reporting its earnings for full-year fiscal 2026.
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Manchester United 2025 earnings
Manchester United set a new record for annual revenue -- £677.6 million, or $899 million, up 1.7% from last year. Operating earnings flipped from a loss last year to a profit of £22.6 million -- $30 million -- this time around.
Nevertheless, ManU reported a net loss of £43 million ($57 million) on the bottom line.
What's next for Manchester United?
ManAgement attributed the weak results to the club not making it into the UEFA tournament this year. The Women's team placed 4th in the 2025/26 Women's Super League, and reached the Quarter-Finals of the Women's Champions League for the first time last year. Financially, this didn't make up for the Men's team being out of the UEFA competition.
The Men's team did place third in the Premier League, however, and was promoted back into the UEFA Champions League for the 2026/27 season, so next year's (financial) results should look better.
Looking ahead to fiscal 2027, ManU forecasts £740 million to £760 million in annual revenue, as much as a 12% improvement. ManU also guided investors to expect between £205 million and £225 million in adjusted EBITDA. That sounds good, but taken at the midpoint, the adjusted EBITDA guidance implies ManU might actually earn less money this year than last, despite the higher revenue. Moreover, management did not give any guidance for what its net earnings might look like.
TL;DR, if you want to invest in Manchester United because you love the club -- fine. Just don't buy this stock in hopes it will grow its profits.
Rich Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.