Manchester-based FTSE 100 firm Auto Trader Group plc said it returned £162.2 million to shareholders in the first half of its current financial year through £100.2 million of share buybacks and dividends of £62 million.
The firm declared an interim dividend of 3.8p per share, up 9%.
In its half year results for the six months ended September 30, 2025, Auto Trader said revenue rose 5% to £317.7 million and profit before tax climbed 6% to £199.3 million.
“Retailer revenue grew at 6%, through a 1% increase in the number of retailer forecourts and Average Revenue Per Retailer (ARPR) growth of 5% …” said the firm.
“As expected, this growth was lower than our long-term average due to fast stock turn resulting in both prominence penetration and paid stock being marginally lower year-on-year.
“As part of our annual pricing and product event we launched Co-Driver, our generative AI product which helps retailers create high quality vehicle listings in significantly less time, while also improving the experience for car buyers.
“We see a rich future pipeline of AI opportunities to drive improved performance, efficiency and time saving for our customers. These opportunities build on our advertising, data and digital retailing products. Autotrader is a trusted brand, offering a comprehensive car buying experience and proprietary real-time vehicle level data.
“Most buyers continue to come directly to Autotrader, but for the 18% that find us through organic search we believe AI tools will become an alternative interface and we will increase our visibility across these platforms.
“We are continuing to scale Deal Builder to become the core consumer proposition on Autotrader, reflecting the change in approach that we outlined at our full year results.
“Over the past six months, we have grown retailers by c.2,000, ending the period with over 4,000 live with the product. This represents an accelerated rate of customer acquisition which was four times greater in H1 than the preceding six months.”
Auto Trader Group CEO Nathan Coe said: “In 2025, we continued our decade-long journey of creating AI-powered products that improve the buying and selling experience on Autotrader and help drive improved performance, efficiency and time-saving for our customers.
“This year, over 10,000 of our customers have used our Co-Driver product to deliver over 1 million improved vehicle adverts, enhancing the buying journey.
“By combining this technology with our proprietary data, alongside scaling our Deal Builder product, we’re improving car buying and selling across the UK.”
“As a result of this strategic progress, we remain confident in the outlook, supported by our strong market position, customer value, and unique data and technology.”