London, Feb 17, 2026, 07:49 GMT — Premarket
- RELX ended Monday off 3.68% at 2,174p.
- Director dealings filed: CEO Erik Engstrom and CFO Nick Luff both upped their stakes following incentive-plan grants.
- RELX repurchased 1.2 million shares Monday under its ongoing £450 million non-discretionary buyback program, set to continue through March 20.
RELX (REL.L) grabbed some attention just before London’s open Tuesday, after fresh filings showed its senior leadership increasing their stakes. Chief executive Erik Engstrom’s total now stands at 1,327,129 shares and ADRs—those U.S.-listed certificates tied to the shares. Finance chief Nick Luff, for his part, holds 358,792 shares, according to the latest notice.
RELX shares finished Monday 3.68% lower, settling at 2,174 pence. The data and analytics group remains under pressure, still trying to regain its balance after a rough patch driven by doubts over the pace at which generative AI might take over professional workflows.
Right now, investors are eyeing “AI exposure” as a short-term risk, not some distant upside, and that thinking is shaping how the stock is trading. When the tape tilts heavily one way, even typical director trades or a well-flagged buyback have the power to sway sentiment.
RELX disclosed Monday it repurchased 1.2 million shares on the London Stock Exchange via UBS, paying prices ranging from 2,172 to 2,252 pence. The shares are being held in treasury instead of being retired. Since Jan. 2, the company has scooped up a total of 12.08 million shares.
The buybacks are taking place under an irrevocable, non-discretionary arrangement—so the broker handles the purchases inside strict parameters, without input from RELX as things move along. The window opened Feb. 12 and stretches through March 20, targeting a total spend of £450 million. RELX says this is just a slice of its broader ambition to return £2.25 billion to shareholders through buybacks in 2026.
Since its annual results last week, RELX has been pushing a different angle on AI—claiming that AI, built into its products, is more likely to drive growth than erode demand. “We can get out the right judgments, the right inferences, and the right interpretations,” Luff told Reuters, citing RELX’s proprietary analytics and data. The company posted a 9% jump in 2025 operating profit and increased its dividend. Reuters
But buybacks alone don’t end the market’s internal debate. Should clients push more of their tasks to general-purpose AI, subscription renewals and pricing leverage—particularly in research and legal verticals—could feel the squeeze. That would put even more strain on the multiple.
In the short run, traders are watching to see if the buyback is taking up enough supply after Monday’s slide—and whether RELX’s daily repurchase updates turn into a reliable support line instead of just a talking point.
Coming up Thursday, RELX plans to put its 2025 annual report online, with hard copies set to follow around March 6. Investors will be watching for that release, looking for any details on AI product launches and customer interest.
