London, Feb 9, 2026, 08:28 GMT — Regular session
- Reckitt slipped roughly 0.6% shortly after the open.
- The FTSE 100 edged about 0.3% higher as trading began.
- Reckitt is set to present at CAGNY on Feb. 19, and full-year earnings drop March 5.
Reckitt Benckiser Group plc slipped 0.6% to 6,364 pence as of 0827 GMT on Monday. Shares moved between 6,358 and 6,434 pence, the latter level touching its 52-week high.
Investors are watching closely as Reckitt prepares for a hefty cash payout following the sale of its Essential Home unit. A special dividend of 235 pence per share lands on Feb. 20, paired with a 24-for-25 share consolidation — a standard step to adjust the share count after such a large distribution knocks the price lower.
Reckitt plans to release full-year results on March 5, followed by an investor presentation at the London Stock Exchange at 0830 GMT. After the portfolio reshuffle, many investors will be zeroed in on guidance for 2026 margins and costs.
The FTSE 100 in London edged up in the morning, sticking just above 10,400. NatWest slipped early on, and Unilever also dipped, Investing.com showed.
European stocks opened higher, with the STOXX 600 adding 0.5% at 0809 GMT. Investors looked to regain some footing after last week’s swings, sparked partly by uncertainty over returns from hefty bets on artificial intelligence.
Global signals leaned positive as well. Japan’s Nikkei notched new records following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s election victory. FTSE futures added 0.4%, according to Reuters. Investors are eyeing U.S. jobs, retail sales, and inflation figures set for release this week—these numbers could sway expectations for rate cuts.
Some broker skepticism lingers. Last month, RBC Capital Markets lowered its rating on Reckitt to “sector perform” and trimmed the price target to 62 pounds, citing unfinished forecasts and uncertainty around 2026 margins as well as ongoing litigation risk. “Our new forecasts for Reckitt are not the finished article,” RBC said. Investing.com
Reckitt’s been using buybacks to boost returns, too. On Feb. 2, the company confirmed it wrapped up the second tranche of its 1 billion pound share buyback program, first unveiled in July 2025.
Still, risks haven’t gone away. Lawsuits in the U.S. targeting specialized preterm infant formula remain a concern. Last year, a judge in Missouri tossed a verdict, accusing defense lawyers for Abbott and Reckitt’s Mead Johnson of misconduct and granting a new trial. Both firms plan to appeal.
Another milestone lands next week: Reckitt’s CEO Kris Licht and CFO Shannon Eisenhardt are set to appear at the CAGNY conference in Orlando on Feb. 19. Their presentation, according to the company, will be webcast from 1500 to 1545 GMT.
So traders are back where they’ve been before: waiting on the company to back up the narrative with actual figures and guidance. All eyes on Reckitt’s full-year results, set for March 5.
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