London, Feb 8, 2026, 08:40 GMT — The market is shut.
- Experian shares slid 4.65% to close at 2,499 pence on Friday, landing close to the session low.
- The company announced additional share buybacks as part of its new $1 billion repurchase program.
- U.S. inflation numbers and updates from credit-bureau rivals are on the radar for investors looking for clues ahead of Monday’s open.
Experian (EXPN.L) ended the session at 2,499 pence (£24.99) on Friday, dropping 4.65% from Thursday’s finish. The day’s range: 2,499 to 2,593 pence. Volume hit 5.8 million shares. The stock is now trading about 39% under its 52-week peak. 1
The drop puts extra weight on the credit data and analytics group’s capital return strategy to bolster sentiment. Experian rolled out a fresh $1 billion share buyback January 30, sticking with its dividend approach and leaving its medium-term financial targets untouched. 2
That follows a bruising stretch for Europe’s data and software stocks, as investors wasted no time factoring in potential AI upheaval. “Sometimes the market just shoots first and asks questions later,” AGF Investments portfolio manager Mike Archibald told Reuters during the downturn. 3
Experian disclosed in a Friday filing that it snapped up 399,453 ordinary shares on Feb. 5, shelling out a weighted average of 2,619.2358 pence per share. Prices ranged from 2,590 pence on the low end to as much as 2,648 pence. The buyback trims the company’s share count. 4
Experian announced earlier this week that it’s buying Own Up, an AI-driven mortgage shopping platform tied to a network of over 40 lenders. The deal is slated to close in about 90 days, pending regulatory sign-off. “Homeownership is one of the most significant moments in a person’s financial journey,” said Dacy Yee, president of Experian Consumer Services, in the release. 5
On Feb. 6, the company handed out its first interim dividend—21.25 U.S. cents a share. For those getting paid in sterling, that worked out to roughly 15.8814 pence per share, using the exchange rate applied at the time, according to 12 .
Investors are still working through Experian’s Jan. 21 trading update, where the group stuck to its full-year target for 8% organic revenue growth. Panmure Liberum’s Andrew Ripper pointed out several issues: pressures from the softer U.S. dollar, AI-related uncertainty, and potential upsets in credit scoring, especially after FICO decided to sell its scores straight to mortgage lenders and sellers. 6
Stateside, Equifax has insisted that AI won’t upend the industry’s data core, despite investors adjusting valuations for firms built on analytics and information. CEO Mark Begor flagged growing momentum for VantageScore in the mortgage space. That’s the credit scoring model co-owned by Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. 7
Monday’s London open could see traders gauging if the buyback steadies the stock after recent volatility. On the Bank of England docket: speeches from James Talbot on Feb. 10, plus chief economist Huw Pill set for Feb. 13—both sessions with the potential to nudge rate outlooks. 8
Traders are eyeing U.S. macro indicators for cues on the broader risk mood. The January consumer price index lands Feb. 13 at 08:30 a.m. Eastern, a potential catalyst for shifting Federal Reserve outlooks. 9
There are catalysts ahead for the other credit bureaus, too. TransUnion plans to release its fourth-quarter 2025 results on Thursday, Feb. 12, and management will hold a conference call that day as well. 10
Experian faces a clear risk here: another spike in inflation or rates could reignite market worries around credit and mortgage flows—right as investors are still jittery about AI competitors. Lately, even buybacks or bolt-on acquisitions have struggled to cut through a shaky sector tape, at least for now.
Looking past next week’s macro data and sector commentary, there’s only one definite company event coming up: Experian posts its full-year prelims on May 20. 11
