London, January 12, 2026, 09:37 GMT — Regular session
- Imperial Brands shares edged up roughly 0.5% in early London trading, hovering close to recent peaks
- Late Friday, the company revealed new share repurchases as part of its £1.45 billion buyback program
- Investors are focused on the AGM scheduled for Jan. 28 and the ex-dividend date coming up in February
Imperial Brands PLC shares nudged up roughly 0.5% in early London trading on Monday, while the broader market found some footing after a shaky start. At 0914 GMT, the stock was priced at 3,027 pence.
The move keeps the tobacco maker in investors’ sights as a week packed with macro risks and dividend schedules gets underway. Imperial has been repurchasing shares, a strategy that can bolster the stock by reducing the number of shares outstanding.
Markets turned jittery after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell revealed the Trump administration had threatened him with criminal indictment, ratcheting up tensions and sending investors toward safe havens like gold. “The latest development marks a significant escalation in the fight between President Trump and Fed Chair Powell,” said MUFG’s Lee Hardman.
Imperial’s rise mirrored gains across the tobacco sector. British American Tobacco climbed roughly 1% by 0910 GMT, based on share price data.
Imperial revealed in a filing on Friday that it purchased 194,893 shares for cancellation, paying an average of 3,004.20 pence each, under its £1.45 billion share buyback plan. Morgan Stanley acted as the broker, the statement confirmed. 1
A regulatory filing on Friday revealed several non-executive directors bought shares via dividend reinvestment at £30.452351 each. PDMR, short for “persons discharging managerial responsibilities,” refers to insiders whose transactions require disclosure. 2
Another board update takes effect Monday. Imperial announced in October that Abbe Luersman will come on as a non-executive director starting Jan. 12. Chair Thérèse Esperdy highlighted Luersman’s “deep and wide-ranging experience in transformation programmes.” 3
Imperial faces shrinking cigarette volumes in mature markets and tougher regulation on nicotine products, pushing it to rely more on cash returns. At its full-year results in November, the company told investors it aims for 3%-5% annual adjusted operating profit growth. CEO Lukas Paravicini confirmed plans for share buybacks every year through 2030. 4
Buybacks and dividends don’t eliminate the main risks. A surprise tax hike, stricter vaping regulations, or a drop in pricing power could all dent cash flow—and that’s what funds these payouts.
Imperial faces its next key date soon: the annual general meeting set for Jan. 28. Then comes the ex-dividend date on Feb. 19. If shareholders approve, the final dividend will be paid out on March 31. 5
