WPP Share Price Today: London Stock Jumps on Takeover Talk as FTSE 100 Exit Looms (17 November 2025)

WPP’s London-listed shares staged a sharp rebound on Monday, 17 November 2025, as fresh takeover speculation and recent insider share buying tempted bargain hunters back into one of the UK market’s hardest‑hit blue chips.

According to closing data from Hargreaves Lansdown, WPP plc (LON: WPP) ended the session at around 298p, up roughly 3.4% on the day, after trading between about 293p and 308p. That move adds to early‑morning gains that saw the stock jump more than 5% at one stage. ^[1]

Yet even after today’s bounce, the advertising group remains a shadow of its former self, with the share price down around 64% over the last 12 months and close to levels last seen in the late 1990s. ^[2]

WPP share price today (UK): key numbers for 17 November 2025

Based on London Stock Exchange data collated by Hargreaves Lansdown and the Financial Times, WPP’s UK‑listed shares finished Monday’s session with the following profile: ^[3]

Closing price (approx.): 298p (sell 298.0p / buy 298.3p)
Daily move: +9.8p, up about 3.4% vs Friday’s close of 288.3p
Intraday range:
- Open: 302.0p
- High: 307.5p
- Low: 292.9p
Volume: roughly 2.7 million shares traded
Market capitalisation: about £3.2–£3.3 billion
12‑month performance: share price down around 64%
52‑week range: 266.1p low to 903.0p high
Historic dividend yield (trailing): roughly 13%, inflated by the share price collapse

Prices are delayed by at least 15–20 minutes and may differ slightly between data providers, but the overall picture is a modest single‑day rally after a brutal year. ^[4]

Takeover rumours from Havas, Apollo and KKR light a fire under WPP

The main catalyst for Monday’s move was renewed takeover speculation following a report in The Sunday Times, picked up across the financial press and wire services.

Alliance News, via multiple outlets including Shares Magazine and Shareprices.com, reported that French rival Havashas held discussions about WPP and its assets, while private equity giants Apollo and KKR have also examined parts of the business. ^[5]

Key points from today’s coverage:

WPP’s steep share price slump has left the company on the brink of ejection from the FTSE 100, making it more vulnerable to corporate predators. ^[6]
Potential suitors are said to be weighing several options:
- a full takeover of WPP;
- a large minority stake; or
- cherry‑picking specific businesses, such as WPP’s media‑buying arm. ^[7]
One industry source cited by Alliance News suggested Havas could be particularly interested in WPP Media, the group’s large media‑buying operation. ^[8]

Reuters reported that WPP shares rose as much as 6.6% intraday on Monday after the takeover story broke, noting that the group’s market value is now only about £3 billion and that the stock remains close to a 27‑year low despite today’s jump. ^[9]

Marketing and media trade titles added further colour:

Marketing‑Interactive wrote that Havas is in preliminary talks with WPP about a potential “strategic arrangement,” citing media reports of high‑level discussions at Havas’ Paris headquarters. ^[10]
Morningstar / Dow Jones similarly noted takeover interest from Havas alongside Apollo and KKR, framing WPP as a heavily de‑rated asset compared with its 2017 peak valuation of about £24 billion. ^[11]

As of today, no party has confirmed making a formal approach, and Reuters reported that WPP, Havas, Apollo and KKR all declined to comment on the speculation. ^[12]

Bargain hunters circle an oversold ad giant

The idea that WPP is now deeply oversold is another theme running through today’s coverage.

Proactive Investors described WPP as an “oversold ad giant,” noting that the shares were up around 4.5% at roughly 301p in the first half‑hour of trade, as bargain hunters and speculative buyers moved in on the back of the bid chatter. ^[13]

Other outlets highlighted:

WPP’s share price has fallen by almost two‑thirds in 2025 alone, leaving it near its lowest level since 1998. ^[14]
The stock is now far below its February 2017 peak of 1,875p, implying a dramatic destruction of equity value over the last eight years. ^[15]
The sharp slide has turned WPP into one of the highest‑yielding names in the UK market, with a double‑digit trailing dividend yield – though analysts repeatedly caution that such yields can be a warning sign if earnings and cash flow are under pressure. ^[16]

WPP also appeared on lists of “trending tickers” and stock‑mover round‑ups on financial platforms including Yahoo Finance and Bloomberg today, underlining how quickly sentiment has swung from despair to speculative interest. ^[17]

£285,000 insider buying: WPP’s top brass bet on a turnaround

Today’s price action comes just days after a notable insider buying spree by WPP’s two most senior leaders – a move widely interpreted as a vote of confidence in the company’s long‑term prospects.

A regulatory filing on 14 November showed that: ^[18]

Chair Philip Jansen bought 50,000 WPP shares on 13 November at 285.1p per share, an investment of roughly £142,550.
Chief Executive Cindy Rose bought 50,000 shares on the same day at 288.7p per share, spending about £144,350.

In total, the boardroom duo committed more than £285,000 of personal capital to the stock in co‑ordinated purchases on the London market, as highlighted by Investing.com, Campaign and several analyst‑driven news services. ^[19]

An Exchange4media piece published today framed the trades as top executives “betting big” on their own company, suggesting the move is aimed at boosting investor sentiment after a bruising year for shareholders. ^[20]

While insider buying doesn’t guarantee a recovery, large, high‑profile purchases like these are often seen as a signal that management believes the shares are undervalued relative to the company’s long‑term prospects.

Why WPP shares were so beaten up in the first place

The backdrop to today’s rebound is important: WPP’s share price collapse has not come out of nowhere.

Profit warning and strategic review

On 30 October 2025, WPP issued a profit warning alongside its third‑quarter update, slashing its full‑year guidance after a worse‑than‑expected drop in revenue. ^[21]

Key points from the Q3 trading update and subsequent coverage:

Q3 2025 revenue fell 8.4% year‑on‑year to £3.26bn, with revenue less pass‑through costs down 5.9% on a like‑for‑like basis. ^[22]
WPP now expects full‑year organic revenue (revenue less pass‑through costs) to decline 5.5%–6.0%, with a headline operating margin of around 13%, weaker than previously guided. ^[23]
The group blamed a “step down” in performance at WPP Media, its media‑buying arm, along with client losses and volatility in advertising spend. ^[24]

New CEO Cindy Rose, who took over in September, described recent performance as “unacceptable” and launched a strategic review focused on simplifying the business, integrating its agencies more tightly and leaning harder into data and AI‑driven solutions. ^[25]

Reports last week indicated that WPP has brought in McKinsey & Company to support the review, underlining the scale of the transformation effort under way. ^[26]

Structural concerns and legal overhangs

Beyond short‑term trading, investors have also been wrestling with deeper issues:

Competitive pressure: WPP has lost its crown as the world’s largest ad group to France’s Publicis, which has been rewarded by investors for stronger data and technology capabilities. ^[27]
AI disruption fears: Business‑live coverage in The Guardian pointed to concerns that generative AI and automated marketing tools could compress agency fees and undermine traditional creative and media‑buying models – a particular worry for WPP given recent mis‑steps at its media arm. ^[28]
US shareholder lawsuits: Several US law firms, including Levi & Korsinsky and The Gross Law Firm, have announced or publicised class action claims alleging that WPP misled investors about the performance of its media business and related financial reporting. ^[29]

Taken together, these issues have led to a collapse in market confidence, setting the stage for both today’s bargain‑hunting and the interest from potential strategic and financial buyers.

FTSE 100 relegation risk adds extra drama

Another thread running through today’s commentary is WPP’s precarious position in the FTSE 100.

Alliance News notes that the stock’s slide has left WPP perilously close to dropping out of the UK’s flagship index at the next quarterly reshuffle. ^[30]

Index relegation matters for the share price because:

Many index trackers and passive funds are forced to sell if WPP is removed from the FTSE 100.
At the same time, inclusion in the FTSE 250 could attract a different set of investors, including small‑ and mid‑cap specialists.

The prospect of takeover bids, combined with the mechanics of index changes, helps explain why WPP’s share price has become highly sensitive to newsflow in recent weeks.

What today’s move could mean for WPP shareholders

From an investor’s perspective, Monday’s rally highlights both the upside optionality and the risks around WPP at current levels:

Bid premium potential: Genuine interest from a strategic buyer like Havas or from private equity could, in theory, support a higher takeover price than today’s depressed market value, especially given WPP’s global footprint and still‑substantial cash flows. ^[31]
Break‑up vs. turnaround: Some investors may speculate that WPP is worth more in pieces – particularly its media and data assets – while others are betting on Cindy Rose’s plan to turn around the group as a whole. ^[32]
Dividend uncertainty: The double‑digit yield looks tempting on paper, but articles today and in recent weeks warn that WPP may have to rethink its dividend policy if trading remains weak and restructuring proves costly. ^[33]
High volatility: With takeover rumours, legal actions, index moves and a strategic review all in play, WPP’s share price is likely to remain volatile, reacting quickly to any new headlines or regulatory filings. ^[34]

As always, this article is information, not investment advice. Anyone considering WPP shares should look at the company’s official results, regulatory announcements and independent research, and consider seeking professional financial advice before making decisions.

Snapshot: WPP share price on 17 November 2025 (UK listing)

Ticker: WPP (London Stock Exchange)
Sector: Media / Advertising
Close: ~298p, up ~3.4% on the day
Day range: ~293p – 308p
Market cap: ~£3.2bn
12‑month change: about ‑64%
52‑week range: 266.1p – 903.0p
Key drivers today:
- Takeover interest from Havas, Apollo and KKR
- Recent insider share buying by the CEO and chair
- Ongoing strategic review and recovery plan under new leadership
- Persistent concerns over earnings, AI disruption and legal risks