Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) shares are marching higher today.
Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) travel stock closed yesterday trading for $11.54. In early morning trade on Friday, shares are changing hands for $11.62 apiece, up 0.7%.
For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.2% at this same time.
That's today's price action for you.
Now here's how the company is pursuing growth opportunities in the United Kingdom.
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Flight Centre shares higher amid UK acquisition
Flight Centre shares are catching investor attention today after the company announced it has acquired Fresh Approach Holdings Limited.
Fresh Approach is a UK brand-experience, creative and meetings and events (M&E) agency. The company was founded in 2004 and employs about 65 people. Fresh Approach CEO Lee Harris and his leadership team will continue to run the business, which has offices in Manchester and Edinburgh.
The company did not divulge how much it is paying to acquire Fresh Approach, but reported it is not material to the company. The ASX 200 travel stock will use cash reserves to fund the acquisition.
Flight Centre shares could catch longer-term tailwinds, with Fresh Approach forecast to deliver about 18 million pounds (AU$34.2 million) in turnover and 1.2 million pounds in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) during the 2026 financial year (FY 2026).
Flight Centre said the acquisition will deliver a more seamless customer experience and expand its addressable markets beyond traditional travel management into M&E and professional services.
What did management say?
Commenting on the acquisition that could offer longer-term support for Flight Centre shares, managing director Graham Turner said, "Fresh is a quality business, with a strong market reputation and blue-chip client roster, that elevates our position in an attractive sector and gives us broader capability to support our corporate customers."
Turner continued:
With Fresh's addition, we can deliver a fully integrated M&E offering in the UK, reduce reliance on external suppliers and capture more value within the group.
This acquisition helps us deepen relationships with our corporate clients by offering more of the services they need in one place – creative, production and travel management delivered seamlessly.
Fresh unlocks meaningful growth opportunities on both sides of the relationship, from cross-selling into our UK corporate customer base to supporting Fresh's clients with our global travel capabilities.
Fresh Approach CEO Lee Harris added, "Our capabilities will work in unison to remove the friction between planning and creation, all underpinned by strategic thinking and world class creative."
With today's intraday gains factored in, Flight Centre shares remain down 18.7% over 12 months.
