London, February 26, 2026, 09:16 (GMT) — Regular session
Experian PLC (EXPN.L) advanced roughly 1% Thursday, after the credit data firm announced fresh share buybacks aimed at reducing its outstanding shares. By 0916 GMT, the stock traded 27 pence higher at 2,688 pence.
The buyback news is notable for Experian, which has been working to regain its footing after a challenging period. The consistent daily repurchases have been lending some stability to the stock. On Wednesday, shares jumped 3.94%. Still, MarketWatch data indicate the stock is trading roughly 35% off its 52-week peak of £41.01, set on July 18.
Experian kicked off its buyback on January 30, laying out a ceiling of $1 billion and planning to wrap up by June 30, 2027. The tempo depends on how markets and internal demands play out. According to the company, the buyback aims both to shrink the number of shares outstanding and to cover roughly $200 million owed on employee share plans.
Experian, in a Thursday RNS, disclosed it picked up 399,433 shares on February 25 via J.P. Morgan Securities at a weighted average price of 2,622.1614 pence. The company plans to cancel those shares.
Shares shifted as UK blue chips hovered just off record territory, though dipped a bit at the open. By 0813 GMT, the FTSE 100 slipped 0.08% while investors sifted through a slate of corporate earnings.
Outside the capital returns update, Experian on Tuesday pointed to new research it had commissioned from Forrester Consulting. The survey found 64% of EMEA and Asia Pacific businesses saw higher fraud losses in the past year. “Generative AI is giving criminals unprecedented speed and sophistication,” said Shail Deep, chief operating officer for Experian EMEA & APAC. experianplc.com
Buybacks shrink the pool of shares on the market, often pushing up earnings per share—assuming profits don’t budge. Investors can spot these moves easily; the transactions land routinely in market filings.
But these aren’t foolproof. A slowdown in lending, or tougher restrictions on data use, can quickly sap growth. That puts the buyback narrative at risk, and the share price could slide right along with the cycle.
Investors are eyeing if the stock manages to hang on to its recent gains as the company continues its buybacks. Another focus: how credit conditions shape up heading into spring—whether the broader implications improve or deteriorate from here.
Next up: Experian posts its preliminary full-year results on May 20.
