London, June 13, 2026, 15:06 BST
- Barclays jumped about 5.3% Friday to near 473p, beating the FTSE 100’s 1.6% rise as UK banks moved higher.
- Barclays struck a deal to acquire GoHenry’s UK arm from Acorns, picking up a youth-banking app that manages roughly 500,000 UK kids’ accounts.
- Barclays’ H1 2026 results are next on the radar for investors, with the bank set to report on July 28.
Barclays PLC jumped 5.32% on Friday, closing at around £4.73. The FTSE 100 added 1.63% to finish at 10,471.72. Shares surged along with the wider UK market as talk of a possible U.S.-Iran peace deal knocked oil prices lower. Heavyweight UK banks climbed 4.2% as a group, according to Reuters.
Barclays said it will buy the UK business of GoHenry, the kids’ debit-card and money app that’s owned by U.S. fintech Acorns. GoHenry has about 500,000 UK child accounts and targets users aged six to 18. The app gives prepaid cards, parental controls, and financial-education tools. The GoHenry brand is set to stay after the takeover.
Barclays wants a stronger foothold with young families as it pushes into new customer segments. Barclays UK chief exec Vim Maru called the GoHenry buy a way to “turbocharge” its family banking. GoHenry founder Louise Hill said the brand “isn’t going anywhere” under Barclays. RBC Capital Markets’ Benjamin Toms told the Guardian it’s less about short-term profit and more about “cross-selling and customer inertia”, with UK banking customers slow to switch providers. The Guardian
Barclays said the GoHenry deal is expected to knock about five basis points off its CET1 ratio, but the bank kept its 2026 and 2028 financial targets unchanged. CET1, or common equity tier one capital, is a key gauge of a bank’s capital buffer. One basis point is 0.01 percentage point.
The acquisition follows a first quarter that was solid, but showed mixed signals. Barclays posted profit before tax of £2.8 billion for Q1, up from £2.7 billion last year. The bank is launching a £500 million share buyback, a move that can lift earnings per share. Return on tangible equity came in at 13.5% in the quarter. Group income rose 6% to £8.2 billion, with a CET1 ratio at 14.1%.
Barclays’ recent rally could be stretched, some bears say, noting lingering credit and conduct risks. Back in April, Reuters said a £228 million charge tied to failed MFS and about £100 million more for motor finance cut into gains from strong trading. The UK car-finance redress is still hanging over the sector.
Valuation still leaves some space for a positive take, but there are warnings. Hargreaves Lansdown puts Barclays on a price-to-earnings ratio near 10.25. Investors Chronicle data has the stock up almost 46% over one year. The analyst median target is 550p, which is about 16% above the last price at 472.85p. That gives the shares appeal for investors who are fine with risks tied to bank cycles, credit, and regulation, though the stock looks less of a bargain after its climb.
Barclays’ next test lands with H1 2026 results on July 28. Investors want to see steadier income growth and a solid RoTE, and will watch for signs the bank can handle more MFS or motor-finance charges. Buyback capacity also matters, especially with the GoHenry acquisition due for completion in late 2026.
