London, Feb 8, 2026, 08:50 GMT — The market is shut.
Shares of Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.L) closed out Friday at 1,229 pence (£12.29), rising 1.78%. The FTSE 100 posted a 0.59% gain the same session, according to the data. Still, the stock hasn’t touched its yearly peak of 1,306.5p. 1
London’s trading desks are closed for the weekend, but come Monday, it’s all about whether the bid sticks when traders face the usual lineup—buybacks, cash delivery, and the next moves from management.
The company’s buyback program keeps quietly working in the background. Daily repurchase notices have become routine for investors, and occasionally the stock trades like there’s a hidden buyer in the wings.
Rolls-Royce disclosed in a Friday regulatory filing that it snapped up 742,570 shares on Feb. 5, trading on the London Stock Exchange, Cboe, and Aquis, at prices ranging from 1,199p to 1,235.5p apiece. The company said these purchases fall under the £200 million buyback plan first detailed on Dec. 16, with the intention to retire the shares. Following the latest transaction, Rolls-Royce counted 8.43 billion shares outstanding. Since kicking off the programme, it’s bought back 12,655,497 shares at a weighted average of 1,248.4132p per share. 2
When a company buys back its own shares—a process known as a buyback—those shares, if canceled, shrink the total share count. That move can boost earnings per share, but it leaves the underlying business itself unchanged.
The defense theme lingered this weekend, with Rolls-Royce announcing plans to appear at the World Defense Show in Riyadh from Feb. 8–12. The company also highlighted that Saudi nationals now account for over 80% of its workforce in the country. Cate Wilkinson, senior vice president for the Middle East, called it “more than 80 percent Saudization”—the term for hiring locals. 3
Rolls-Royce’s business stretches across civil aerospace engines, long-term service contracts, defence systems, and power solutions. The company breaks out its operations into Civil Aerospace, Defense, Power Systems, and New Markets, per its profile. 4
The stock often reacts sharply to fresh numbers on airline flying hours or repair jobs. Defence, on the other hand, usually delivers news in slower, chunkier moves. Investors have stuck to the belief that service revenue stays reliable—even with delivery delays for new jets.
But here’s the risk: weaker cash conversion or underwhelming guidance, and suddenly that buyback shrinks in a flash. Crowded trades can unwind quickly. Another snag with parts or a squeeze on engine shop capacity? That won’t sit well with investors paying up for flawless execution.
Rolls-Royce occupies a tricky spot in the sector, wedged between jet-engine rivals and defence-focused names. That leaves it exposed to pressure from airlines unhappy about maintenance bills, and from governments that like to delay procurement. You won’t see all that reflected in a single day’s trading, yet it’s exactly the sort of thing traders debate.
Investors are looking to Feb. 26 for the company’s 2025 full-year results, with roadshows lined up right after—first in the UK on March 2, then heading to the U.S. and Canada on March 10. 5
