Sydney, Feb 24, 2026, 17:15 AEDT — After-hours
- Telstra finished Tuesday 2.1% higher at A$5.25, just a cent shy of its 52-week peak.
- Ex-dividend trading kicks in Wednesday—a near-term catalyst that could sway the stock’s price action.
- Australian equities barely budged, with investors sizing up uncertain signals from global markets
Telstra Group Limited (ASX:TLS) ended Tuesday’s session up 2.1% at A$5.25, nearly touching its 52-week high. Roughly 18 million shares changed hands, market data showed, as the stock beat the flat performance of the broader market and closed close to the day’s peak. (Source: Investing.com)
The timing is key here: Telstra heads ex-dividend this week. That’s when fresh buyers miss out on the next payout — and it’s typical to see the share price drop roughly in line with the dividend. According to Telstra’s investor calendar, ex-dividend trading kicks off Wednesday, followed by the record date Thursday. Payment hits on March 27. (Source: Telstra key dates)
It’s a tough fit against a volatile global backdrop. Australia’s main index closed almost flat—down just 0.04%—after wavering around the 9,000 mark. Wall Street, meanwhile, took a hard hit overnight, rattled by tariff questions and revived anxiety over AI shakeups. “Sell first, assess later,” said U.S. Bank Wealth Management strategist Tom Hainlin, speaking to Reuters. (Sources: ABC markets live blog, Reuters)
Telstra’s shares have moved with the steady hand investors tend to favor when they’re after dividends and reliable earnings. Last week, the board gave the green light to an interim dividend of 10.5 Australian cents a share, also expanding its on-market buyback to as much as A$1.25 billion. At the same time, Telstra narrowed its FY26 underlying EBITDA after leases forecast to between A$8.2 billion and A$8.4 billion. “The first half of FY26 was a strong period for Telstra,” CEO Vicki Brady said in the release. (Source: Telstra market release PDF)
Heading into Wednesday, investors have another factor to consider: mechanics. When a stock goes ex-dividend, it may appear “weaker” simply because some value moves from the share price into a cash payout, not because there’s been any change in the company’s fundamentals.
The buyback muddies things. As a company snaps up its own shares, that buying can put a floor under prices, though how much support it offers shifts from one session to the next. It’s not usually enough to counter heavy selling across the board.
Telstra remains a key player in the telecom race, squaring off against Singtel’s Optus and TPG Telecom. Even now, pricing wars linger in both mobile and broadband, always simmering beneath the surface.
Plenty could still trip things up. Should global risk aversion intensify or bond yields rise, the search for yield might flip quickly into a rush for cash, and even defensives could get dumped. Telstra’s narrowed earnings guidance doesn’t help, either — there’s not much cushion if expenses spike or rivals push harder than planned.
Next up: Wednesday brings the ex-dividend session. Traders will be watching to see if income-focused buyers return once the stock price resets. The record date hits Thursday; dividend payout lands March 27.
