Imperial Brands stock continues GBP 1.45 billion buyback

Published on 10/04/2026 at 19:26 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Imperial Brands stock was last at GBp 2,443 on October 2, 2026, with a GBP 1.45 billion buyback program in operation. H1 adjusted EPS reached 127.7 pence.

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Imperial Brands (ISIN GB0004544929) stock was last at GBp 2,443 on October 2, 2026, after the company continued its GBP 1.45 billion share buyback. MarketBeat listed the buyback update on October 2, including a further reduction in the share count. The capital-return program is now the clearest dated company action ahead of the full-year reporting date.

GBP 1.45 billion buyback continues

The buyback matters because it combines cash returns with a smaller equity base. MarketBeat also listed earlier cancellations under the same program, including 150,000 shares on September 25, 2026, giving the October 2 update a measurable operational link to the capital-return plan.

The share price moved 0.78 percent higher on October 2, with 913,250 shares traded. That daily gain was modest, but the buyback provides a company-specific explanation for the current shareholder-return narrative.

H1 revenue rose 1.8 percent

Imperial Brands reported currency-adjusted net revenue growth of 1.8 percent in the first half of fiscal 2026, while adjusted EPS grew 5.3 percent to 127.7 pence. The figures were reported in the H1 2026 results summary published on Parqet.

The same summary said adjusted operating profit increased 0.6 percent on a currency-adjusted basis, while the next-generation products business grew 7.5 percent. Management retained fiscal 2026 adjusted operating profit growth guidance of 3 to 5 percent, keeping second-half execution central to the earnings case.

Analysts set GBP 32.50 target

MarketScreener reported an Outperform consensus from 12 analysts, with an average target of GBP 32.50. The same page carried Bank of America commentary dated September 18, 2026, keeping a Buy rating while pointing to potential for a fiscal 2026 EBIT beat.

The counter-factor is market-share pressure. Morningstar wrote on September 18, 2026, that the stock had fallen 20 percent year to date and that first-half net revenue increased 2 percent, while concerns about market-share losses intensified.

Stock stays near yearly low

At GBp 2,443 on the London Stock Exchange on October 2, 2026, Imperial Brands stock stood 1.45 percent above its 52-week low of GBp 2,408 and 32.8 percent below its 52-week high of GBp 3,632.04. The combination of a 0.78 percent daily gain, positive H1 operating figures and a continuing buyback leaves the November reporting date as the next major test.