London, Feb 7, 2026, 09:27 GMT — The market is shut.
- Imperial Brands finished Friday’s session at 3,341p, up 49 pence, or 1.49%.
- The company is planning a final dividend payout on March 31, pending shareholder approval, with Feb. 20 set as the record date.
- Traders are betting on UK rate cuts once again after the Bank of England’s latest split decision, according to UBS.
Imperial Brands (IMB.L) climbed 1.49% to £33.41 Friday, outpacing the FTSE 100’s 0.59% advance and closing out the week on stronger ground. Roughly 1.4 million shares traded—lower than the 50-day average—while the stock remains about 8% below its Dec. 19 high.
London stays closed Saturday, so eyes turn to the calendar instead. Imperial Brands’s ex-dividend date lands on Feb. 19; pick up shares after that and you’re out of luck for the next dividend. The company plans to pay its final dividend on March 31, while half-year numbers are set for May 12.
Rate expectations can move tobacco stocks, which tend to behave like income plays—bond yields are a major driver. Investors now see Bank Rate falling to 3.0% by March 2027, according to a Bank of England survey out Friday. With the bank keeping rates steady at 3.75% this week, markets are all but pricing in two more 25-basis-point cuts for 2026.
Imperial Brands saw its shares move from 3,267p up to 3,341p on Friday, coming off a Thursday close at 3,292p.
It’s been a jumpy spell on the macro front. The FTSE 100 shed 0.9% Thursday, with sterling also dropping in the wake of the BoE call. Matthew Ryan, Ebury’s head of market strategy, called further easing “merely a matter of timing” from policymakers. Reuters
Tobacco names tracked moves abroad. Philip Morris on Friday guided for a profit increase by 2026, though the company acknowledged mounting rivalry in nicotine pouches. Jefferies’ Andrei Andon-Ionita called the new targets “reassuring,” yet he singled out British American Tobacco for its strong U.S. pouch foothold. Reuters
Imperial has made capital returns a big part of its strategy lately. Back in October, the company rolled out a £1.45 billion share buyback for fiscal 2026, aiming to wrap it up by Oct. 28, 2026. That’s all within the framework of its wider programme, which stretches to FY30. A buyback reduces the total number of shares as the company pulls its own stock off the market.
Still, two risks loom: rates might stay elevated longer than markets currently anticipate, and a regulatory crackdown on nicotine products remains in play. Bank of England chief economist Huw Pill, speaking Friday, urged policymakers to keep their eyes on the bigger picture and not get distracted by what he called a temporary drop in inflation—a warning that could slow the push for cuts if the data shifts.
Imperial Brands watchers now turn to Monday, wondering if Friday’s rebound sticks once London trading resumes—and if buyers step in before the Feb. 19 ex-dividend cutoff.
Next up: the sector is eyeing the March 31 final dividend payment, with the May 12 half-year results announcement not far behind—both key for fresh signals on pricing, volumes, and the state of cash returns, as smoke-free products keep tugging at the industry.
