Finance
Robert Walters tumbles after forecasting fee income dip next year
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 15, 2026
2 min readLast updated: January 19, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
Company
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on January 15, 2026
2 min readLast updated: January 19, 2026
Robert Walters shares fell after forecasting a 2026 fee income decline, with a 14% drop in Q4 fees and a 23% decline in Europe.
Jan 15 (Reuters) - Robert Walters shares fell steeply on Thursday after the recruitment company forecast a drop in its fee income for its 2026 fiscal year, showing how hiring markets remain challenging.
Its shares were down about 8.4% at 125 pence at 0803 GMT, making it one of the biggest losers across UK stocks.
The company reported a 14% decline in fourth-quarter income from fees.
"Whilst our capacity to execute our plans to the levels required is better than it was a year ago, the timing of any overall top line inflection clearly remains somewhat dependent on how recovery develops in global hiring markets," said CEO Toby Fowlston in a statement.
Global recruitment companies continue to face sluggish hiring, as companies delay new appointments and job-seekers hesitate to move amid economic uncertainty.
Brokerage Panmure Liberum raised its full-year loss forecast for Robert Walters, citing a quarterly net fee shortfall and an uncertain outlook.
"While the performance was worse than we expected, it was a similar trend to prior quarters," the brokerage said.
Europe, which accounts for 30% of Robert Walters' fee income, had a 23% decline in net fees in the fourth quarter, as regulatory changes and political uncertainty weighed on demand. This was a bigger drop than the 17% decline for the same period in the prior year.
The company, which employs 3,300 people and has operations in 31 countries, has seen its shares fall about 59% over the past 12 months as of Wednesday’s market close.
Robert Walters is scheduled to report its 2025 results in March.
(Reporting by Ankita Bora and Rishab Shaju in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Jane Merriman)
Net fee income refers to the total revenue generated by a company from fees charged for services, minus any refunds or discounts. It is a key indicator of a company's financial performance.
Global hiring refers to the process of recruiting employees from various countries around the world. It involves navigating different labor markets, regulations, and cultural considerations.
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