London, January 30, 2026, 08:02 GMT — Regular session.
Shares of British American Tobacco p.l.c. (BATS.L) ticked up 0.2% to 4,335 pence in early London trading on Friday following news of another share buyback. The stock closed Thursday at 4,327 pence and currently offers a dividend yield near 5.6%, according to recent figures.
The change is minor, but it comes as investors in high-yield consumer staples keep a close eye on cash returns. BAT’s daily buyback filings are standard procedure, but they provide the market with a real-time update on how fast the company is cutting its share count before important reporting deadlines.
BAT repurchased 131,672 shares on Jan. 29 at an average price of 4,346.8597 pence, with the highest price reaching 4,389 pence, a stock exchange filing showed. The company intends to cancel these shares. Buybacks like this typically reduce the number of shares on the market.
BAT disclosed the repurchase of 135,314 shares on Jan. 28, paying an average of 4,335.8629 pence each, again through UBS, with plans to cancel those shares. This buyback is part of a programme the company announced on March 18, 2024.
Buybacks can boost earnings per share by shrinking the share count, but the impact hinges on how quickly companies repurchase and the stock’s price level. Traders keep an eye on whether buybacks siphon funds away from dividends or debt repayment.
The sector’s outlook stays complicated, especially in the U.S., where tobacco firms are betting on new nicotine products as cigarette sales slide. Altria, a key player, highlighted a “double duty drawback” — a tax rule letting companies recoup some excise taxes on exports of similar goods — as a near-term profit boost. Salvatore Mancuso, Altria’s finance chief, told Reuters it would be “foolish” not to take advantage of this. Meanwhile, Bernstein analysts painted a “challenging picture” as companies scramble for growth in alternatives. Reuters
BAT plans its next quarterly dividend payout for Feb. 4 on the London and Johannesburg registers. The New York-listed ADS will see its payment made on Feb. 9, as per the company’s dividend schedule.
BAT is set to release its 2025 preliminary results on Feb. 12 at 7:00 a.m. GMT. A webcast and Q&A session will follow at 9:30 a.m. GMT, according to the company’s results centre.
