The curtain has risen on the 2026 interim earnings season for financial stocks, with Guotai Haitong Securities Co., Ltd. (GTHT) taking the lead.

According to the company's announcement, for the first half of 2026, Guotai Haitong expects to achieve net profit attributable to shareholders in the range of RMB 20,003 million to RMB 20,511 million. The net profit attributable to shareholders excluding non-recurring items is projected to be between RMB 19,249 million and RMB 19,757 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 164% to 171%.

Both figures represent record highs for the company's half-yearly performance since its merger.

Furthermore, data indicates that for the second quarter of 2026, Guotai Haitong anticipates non-recurring profit to range from RMB 13,538 million to RMB 14,046 million. This marks a quarter-on-quarter surge of 137% to 146% compared to the first quarter of 2026, also setting a new historical high for the company's quarterly performance.

Consensus earnings forecasts from analysts compiled by WIND show a full-year 2026 net profit estimate for Guotai Haitong of RMB 28,048 million. With the announced guidance showing over RMB 19,200 million already achieved in the first half, the interim results are expected to significantly surpass analyst expectations.

Regarding the primary reasons for the strong earnings growth, Guotai Haitong stated that during the first half of 2026, the company systematically advanced integration, synergy, and deepening reforms. It focused on building a comprehensive "investment + investment banking + investment research" service chain to enhance new quality productive forces, continuously improving its integrated financial service capabilities, and accelerating the release of synergy benefits from its merger. This led to significant year-on-year revenue growth in its wealth management, investment banking, institutional and trading, and investment management businesses, achieving record-high operating performance for the period and laying a solid foundation for accelerating its development into a top-tier investment bank with international competitiveness and market leadership.

As one of the industry leaders, Guotai Haitong's earnings guidance has also generated considerable interest in the upcoming results of other major securities firms, with potential shifts in industry rankings being a key point of focus.