London, Feb 17, 2026, 08:23 (GMT) — Regular session
Experian PLC bounced back from a brief early slide, with shares up around 2.2% at 2,525 pence as of 0823 GMT. The latest buyback announcement from the credit data and analytics firm had investors recalibrating. (Google)
FTSE 100-listed firm disclosed it bought back 400,000 shares on Feb. 16 via J.P. Morgan Securities, shelling out a weighted average 2,509.9391 pence per share. The company uses buybacks like this to return capital to shareholders and trim its share count. (Sharecast)
That buy forms part of Experian’s $1 billion share repurchase plan rolled out Jan. 30, the day the company reiterated no change to its medium-term financial framework, dividend policy or capital allocation. Buybacks like these have turned into a go-to signal for strong cash flows—especially now, with investors quick to punish on price. (Reuters)
The stock’s been volatile lately. Monday saw a 2.6% drop, despite the FTSE 100 ticking higher. It’s still trading roughly 40% under its 52-week peak of 41.01 pounds from July 18, according to MarketWatch data. (MarketWatch)
Chief Executive Brian Cassin, in the January trading update, said the group “delivered strong Q3 growth,” with full-year expectations sticking where they were. (Experian)
Traders have their eye on whether demand for credit checks and fraud detection sticks as lenders tweak underwriting and consumers face pressure from rates and employment. Since Experian reports in U.S. dollars, currency swings may show up in its headline growth.
Squeezing the share count with buybacks can push earnings per share higher. Still, they don’t solve sluggish lending or softer demand for data by themselves.
The risk is clear enough: if credit activity slows or delinquencies pick up faster than expected, usage-driven revenue takes a hit. Stricter regulations on consumer data might also limit how the firm puts its datasets to work. When that happens, investors usually shift their attention right back to growth and pricing power.
Experian is set to release its preliminary full-year numbers on May 20, then follows up with a first-quarter trading update slated for July 16. (Experian)
