London, Jan 29, 2026, 09:20 (GMT) — Regular session
- Ashtead shares dropped roughly 5% in early London trading
- Company announced the timeline and next steps for its planned U.S. primary listing
- With the timetable narrowing, attention zeroes in on buyback and interim dividend mechanics
Ashtead Group (AHT.L) shares dropped 4.9% to 4,860.71 pence by 09:19 GMT, having fluctuated between 5,010 and 4,843 pence in early trading. 1
The decline follows Ashtead’s announcement that Sunbelt Rentals Holdings has filed a Form 10 registration statement with the SEC, kicking off a 30-day countdown under regulatory rules. The company said the Form 10 should become effective on Feb. 26. The UK court scheme to elevate Sunbelt to the head of the group is set for Feb. 27, with plans to begin trading in New York and London on March 2. 2
Investors are focusing less on the headline and more on the timeline. The filing shifts the planned relisting from a vague “sometime soon” to a clear sequence of deadlines, putting U.S. reporting and US GAAP figures front and center. Ashtead has also directed investors to a set of supporting documents on its website, including an IFRS-to-US GAAP transition paper and the scheme circular. 3
Ashtead is pushing ahead with its share buyback program. A regulatory filing on Thursday revealed the company purchased 73,921 shares for treasury on Jan. 28, paying an average of 5,087.635 pence each. 4
Dividend details are moving forward as expected. Ashtead’s interim payout stands at 37.5 U.S. cents per share but will be paid in sterling at 27.60 pence a share for those opting for pounds. This figure uses an exchange rate of 1.3586 GBP/USD. Payments are set for Feb. 6 to shareholders recorded on Jan. 9. 5
The stock ended Wednesday at £51.12, up 1.55% for the day, according to MarketWatch data. 6
Ashtead’s decline went against the grain of a stronger FTSE 100, which gained 0.5% on a delayed basis. 7
The timetable remains uncertain. The filing “has not yet become effective,” and the group’s court-led restructuring is still conditional. NYSE approval hinges on the Form 10 going effective and meeting standard listing criteria. 8
Next on the calendar is the late-February paperwork push: investors are eyeing the Form 10 becoming effective on Feb. 26, the UK court scheme scheduled for Feb. 27, and if Sunbelt shares will start trading under the “SUNB” ticker as planned on March 2. 9
