LONDON, Feb 6, 2026, 08:48 GMT — Regular session
- Experian shares dropped roughly 1.8% early Friday, giving back some of Thursday’s gains.
- The credit-checker revealed an additional tranche of share buybacks carried out late Thursday.
- Investors are eyeing if the recent AI-driven selloff in data and analytics stocks still has room to deepen.
Experian (EXPN) slipped 1.8% to 2,575 pence in early London trading Friday, down from Thursday’s close of 2,621 pence. The stock fluctuated between 2,560 and 2,593 pence during the session, still far off its 52-week peak of 4,101 pence.
Investors are juggling two competing factors: ongoing buybacks that bolster earnings per share, and growing questions about how fast AI innovations might undercut pricing power in data and analytics. On Thursday, Experian climbed 2.95%.
Experian revealed it snapped up 399,453 shares on the London Stock Exchange on Feb. 5, paying an average of 2,619.2358 pence each. The purchase price swung between 2,590 and 2,648 pence. Since kicking off its buyback programme, the firm has repurchased 1,647,231 shares and now holds 56,683,651 shares in treasury.
A separate filing revealed modest share buys from two board members. Chair Mike Rogers picked up 1,600 shares at 25.56 pounds each, while non-executive director Kathleen DeRose acquired 550 shares at $34.2244 apiece, the notice stated. (PDMR stands for “person discharging managerial responsibilities,” a term used in UK dealing disclosures.) Investegate
Experian revealed a fresh $1 billion share buyback plan on Jan. 30, maintaining its existing capital allocation framework and dividend policy.
This week has been tough for information and software stocks, driven by investor reaction to Anthropic’s updated chatbot and its new plug-ins, seen as potential disruptors in legal, sales, marketing, and data analysis sectors. Mike Archibald, portfolio manager at AGF Investments, told Reuters, “Sometimes the market just shoots first and asks questions later.” Reuters
Volatility is now seeping into wider positioning moves as investors wrestle with whether the selloff has run its course or is still gaining steam. “The selloff… is a manifestation of an awakening to the disruptive power of AI,” James St. Aubin, chief investment officer at Ocean Park Asset Management, told Reuters. Reuters
For Experian, the issue isn’t just one product—it’s about how resilient its data, analytics, and decisioning businesses remain as AI tools grow cheaper and more accessible. Share buybacks might ease pressure in the short run, but they don’t address the bigger risk if clients start pushing back on prices.
Friday is also the day Experian will pay its first interim dividend for 2026, set at 21.25 US cents per share. The ex-dividend date lands on Jan. 8.
Experian is set to report its full-year results for the year ending March 31, 2026, on May 20.
The downside is clear: if the market continues viewing AI as a fundamental risk to “information edge” firms, valuations might shrink faster than buybacks can support, leaving shares stuck near recent lows even as cash returns hold steady.
Traders are set to track buyback speed and pricing closely over the coming sessions. Then, all eyes turn to the May 20 earnings to spot any shifts in demand, pricing, or guidance amid the ongoing AI discussion.
