London, Jan 29, 2026, 09:17 GMT — Regular session
- Vodafone shares edged up in early London trading, staying close to their recent peaks
- Company has announced a new UK enterprise collaboration with Centrica alongside plans for additional network expansion in Greece
- Traders are bracing for Vodafone’s third-quarter trading update on Feb. 5, alongside its interim dividend schedule
Vodafone shares (VOD.L) nudged up in early London trade Thursday, lingering near a 52-week peak as investors digested a batch of new corporate news. The stock gained roughly 0.1% to 106.45 pence by 0917 GMT, following a 0.7% rise the previous day. (Investing)
The move is significant as Vodafone aims to sustain a fragile streak of positive news — securing more enterprise contracts and boosting shareholder returns — ahead of its upcoming trading update.
The rally isn’t huge. Still, as shares near recent highs, daily trading flows begin to carry more weight, and even small signs of stable business trends attract attention.
This week, Vodafone announced a four-year deal with Centrica, the parent company of British Gas and Hive, to deliver workplace connectivity and IT services across 80 UK locations supporting 30,000 devices. Nick Gliddon, business director at VodafoneThree, labeled the agreement “a catalyst for real change.” Gary Adey, CEO of Vodafone Intelligent Solutions (VOIS), called it a “landmark deal.” (Vodafone)
Just a day later, Vodafone’s Carrier Services arm revealed plans for Thetis Express, a new high-capacity subsea fibre system in Greece. The project will connect Crete to the mainland, aiming to boost capacity and resilience for wholesale clients. Vodafone Business executive Fanan Henriques emphasized the company’s “central role” in maintaining global internet traffic. (Vodafone)
Shareholder returns remained a focus. On Jan. 27, Vodafone repurchased 2.52 million shares via Merrill Lynch International at a volume-weighted average price of 105.17 pence. This was part of the buyback scheme it kicked off late last year. (Investegate)
Vodafone’s interim dividend is in focus as month-end nears, since the company sets dividends in euros before converting to sterling and dollars. According to Vodafone’s investor site, the foreign-exchange rate is locked in on Jan. 29, ahead of the payment scheduled for Feb. 5. (Vodafone)
Next week brings a key event: Vodafone has its third-quarter trading update set for Feb. 5, according to its financial calendar. (Vodafone)
That said, the upside has its boundaries. Enterprise contracts often arrive unevenly and take time to impact group-level figures. Meanwhile, pricing pressure from major European telecom markets can quickly outweigh gains from just a few new deals.
Vodafone isn’t the only player in the sector pushing deeper into corporate IT, cloud, and managed services to make up for sluggish consumer growth. The key for investors will be seeing if this shift brings in consistent service revenue instead of just sporadic deals.
