London, Jan 31, 2026, 09:29 GMT — Market closed.
- On Friday, Reckitt ended the day 1.67% higher, closing at 6,092p
- On Feb. 2, shares will begin trading ex-special dividend and undergo a 24-for-25 share consolidation
- A filing late in the week revealed new buybacks, signaling the capital return effort is still underway
Reckitt’s shares ended Friday 1.7% higher at 6,092 pence (£60.92), setting up the stock for a key corporate event in the next session.
The focus has shifted from Friday’s close to Monday’s open. With a hefty cash return and a share consolidation hitting simultaneously, expect confusing price swings and uneven volume right out of the gate.
Reckitt announced a special dividend of 235 pence per share, totaling roughly £1.6 billion, paired with a 24-for-25 share consolidation. The company confirmed the ordinary shares will go ex-special dividend at 8 a.m. on Feb. 2, the same day new shares begin trading. Payment is scheduled for Feb. 20.
At a general meeting on Jan. 27, shareholders gave over 99% backing to both the special dividend and the consolidation.
Reckitt revealed in a separate filing on Thursday that it purchased 58,785 shares on Jan. 28 at a volume-weighted average price of 5,953.57 pence. The company plans to hold these as treasury stock, meaning the shares are bought back and kept off the market.
Reckitt outpaced the wider FTSE 100 on Friday, with the index climbing 0.5% to 10,223.54.
The dividend depends on the sale of the Essential Home business to Advent International, finalized by Reckitt on Dec. 31, with the company keeping a 30% stake. CEO Kris Licht called the divestment “a major step forward in our strategy” when it happened. Reckitt
Ex-dividend marks when a stock begins trading without the entitlement to the announced dividend. Typically, a straight dividend triggers a drop in the share price to mirror the cash payout draining from the company. On the flip side, consolidation cuts the number of shares, which tends to push the price per share higher.
That setup doesn’t ensure a smooth open. Despite the consolidation aiming to keep prices roughly steady, investors may still adjust the stock based on fundamentals. The debut day of trading with the new shares often sees wider spreads and volatile prints.
Looking past Monday’s events, Reckitt’s investor calendar points to a presentation at the CAGNY conference on Feb. 19, followed by full-year results due March 5.
