Vodafone (LSE: VOD) lifts dividend for the first time in 8 years, launches €500m buyback and targets upper‑end FY26 outlook — stock pops on 11 Nov 2025

Date: 11 November 2025

Vodafone Group plc (LSE: VOD) surged in London today after unveiling half‑year results that showed improving momentum across key markets, a new progressive dividend policy (implying a 2.5% rise in the full‑year payout), and the start of a fresh €500 million share buyback tranche. Shares rose about 5% to ~94p intraday as the FTSE 100 set a record high, with Vodafone among the standout gainers. ^[1]

What happened today

• H1 FY26 results & upgraded outlook. Vodafone said it now expects to deliver the upper end of full‑year FY26 guidance: Adjusted EBITDAaL €11.3–€11.6bn and Adjusted free cash flow €2.4–€2.6bn. Group revenue grew 7.3% to €19.6bn, while Adjusted EBITDAaL rose 6.8% organically to €5.7bn; operating profit was €2.2bn (down 9.2% year on year, reflecting consolidation and amortisation impacts). ^[2]
• Progressive dividend policy. Management introduced a new progressive dividend policy and said it expects to increase the FY26 dividend per share by 2.5%, the company’s first full‑year dividend uplift in eight years. (Note: the interim dividend remains 2.25 eurocents, ex‑dividend 20 Nov 2025 for ordinary shares, payable 5 Feb 2026.) ^[3]
• €500m buyback kicks off. A new €500 million repurchase programme commenced today (11 Nov 2025) and runs no later than 4 Feb 2026, following €3.0bn already completed since May 2024. ^[4]
• Market reaction.Vodafone shares climbed ~5% to ~94p after the announcements; telecoms helped the FTSE 100 hit a record high on the day. ^[5]

Operating highlights that moved the needle

• Germany returns to growth. After a long reset caused by changes to TV subscription rules, Germany turned positive in Q2 (+0.5% service‑revenue growth), helped by higher wholesale revenues (notably from 1&1). By the end of Q2, 10.5m 1&1 customers had migrated onto Vodafone’s network, with the 12m migration nearly complete. ^[6]
• UK momentum and Three integration. Since the Vodafone–Three UK merger completed in May, Vodafone reports a “fast start” on integration: over 5,000 sites upgraded to allow customers of both brands to use either network seamlessly; Q2 UK organic growth +1.2%. ^[7]
• Africa and Business resilience.Africa service revenue grew 13.5% in Q2, underpinned by data and financial services, while Vodafone Business posted +2.9% organic growth in Q2 as demand for digital services strengthened. ^[8]
• AI at scale. The company’s GenAI assistant “SuperTobi” is now live across all European markets, reaching a 70% end‑to‑end resolution rate — a tangible cost and customer‑experience lever as integration and simplification continue. ^[9]

Key numbers at a glance (H1 FY26)

• Revenue:€19.6bn (+7.3% reported)
• Service revenue:€16.3bn (+8.1% reported; +5.7% organic)
• Adjusted EBITDAaL:€5.7bn (+6.8% organic)
• Operating profit:€2.2bn (–9.2% reported)
• Guidance (upper end targeted):EBITDAaL €11.3–€11.6bn; FCF €2.4–€2.6bn
• Capital returns:€3.0bn buybacks completed since May 2024; new €500m tranche starts today
• Dividend:Interim 2.25 eurocents; FY26 payout expected +2.5% vs. last year
  ^[10]

Why this matters for VOD shareholders

A credible cash‑return story is forming. Management is tilting the equity narrative toward predictable free‑cash‑flow growth and shareholder returns: a progressive dividend framework plus ongoing buybacks. The Germany inflection removes a persistent drag, while UK merger synergies and network sharing should bolster margins and capital efficiency in the medium term. Today’s share‑price reaction reflects renewed confidence that the turnaround is gaining traction. ^[11]

Dividend details for today’s diaries

• Interim dividend:2.25 eurocents (unchanged year on year)
• Ex‑dividend date:20 Nov 2025 (ordinary shares); 21 Nov 2025 (ADRs)
• Record date:21 Nov 2025
• Payment date:5 Feb 2026
• Policy: New progressive policy; FY26 total dividend expected +2.5%
  ^[12]

The buyback: size, timing, purpose

Vodafone today instructed Merrill Lynch International to repurchase up to €500 million of ordinary shares from 11 Nov 2025 to no later than 4 Feb 2026. The stated purpose is capital reduction (with shares to be held in treasury and then cancelled or used for employee awards). This comes on top of €3.0bn completed since May 2024, with €1.0bn previously flagged as remaining. ^[13]

Market context on 11 Nov 2025

Broader risk appetite helped: the FTSE 100 printed a record high as the pound weakened on softer UK labour data, and telecoms — Vodafone in particular — aided the index’s climb. Vodafone shares were up ~5% on the day after the company’s announcements. ^[14]

What to watch next

1. Execution in Germany. Sustaining positive service‑revenue growth post‑MDU reset and completing the 1&1 migration on schedule. ^[15]
2. UK synergy capture. Pace of site upgrades beyond the initial 5,000; opex/capex efficiencies following the Three UK merger. ^[16]
3. Cash‑flow delivery vs. guidance. Progress toward the upper end of EBITDAaL/FCF ranges through H2. ^[17]
4. Capital returns cadence. Execution of the €500m buyback through 4 Feb 2026 and clarity on the dividend step‑up at year‑end. ^[18]

Bottom line

Today’s message is discipline and delivery. A cleaner operating picture in Germany, tangible integration progress in the UK, and a clearer capital‑return roadmap underpin the rally in VOD. If management hits the upper‑end FY26 targets while executing buybacks and a first dividend increase in eight years, the investment case could continue to re‑rate — albeit with the usual execution and macro risks that accompany large telecom integrations. ^[19]

Sources: Vodafone H1 FY26 RNS and buyback RNS (11 Nov 2025); Reuters market and company coverage (11 Nov 2025); The Guardian live markets blog (11 Nov 2025). ^[20]

This article is for information only and is not investment advice.

References

1. www.reuters.com, 2. www.investegate.co.uk, 3. www.investegate.co.uk, 4. www.lse.co.uk, 5. www.reuters.com, 6. www.investegate.co.uk, 7. www.investegate.co.uk, 8. www.investegate.co.uk, 9. www.investegate.co.uk, 10. www.investegate.co.uk, 11. www.reuters.com, 12. www.investegate.co.uk, 13. www.lse.co.uk, 14. www.theguardian.com, 15. www.investegate.co.uk, 16. www.investegate.co.uk, 17. www.investegate.co.uk, 18. www.lse.co.uk, 19. www.reuters.com, 20. www.investegate.co.uk