London, June 16, 2026, 14:03 BST.
- 3i Group was up roughly 1.1%, trading close to 2,311p in London with the FTSE 100 stronger today.
- 3i repurchased 7.88 million shares for about £174.2 million in its ongoing £750 million buyback, its latest RNS said.
- Action remains the main engine for the stock market, with the discount retailer accounting for most of 3i’s private-equity profits.
3i Group plc shares gained Tuesday as London’s blue-chips bounced, with investors coming back to the FTSE 100-listed private-equity firm after its sharp drop this spring. According to MarketScreener, 3i was up 1.12% at 2,310.5p by 14:02 BST. The company’s investor site quoted the shares at 2,311p, up 26p or 1.14%. Broader market tone improved too. Reuters reported the FTSE 100 up 0.6% at 10,490.35 by 11:00 GMT, financials and industrials higher and oil prices falling. MarketScreener UK
3i shares found some support after the company reported more buybacks on Monday. According to a regulatory update, the group repurchased stock for cancellation between June 8 and June 12 under its £750 million buyback first announced in May. 3i has now bought back 7,882,452 shares for a total of £174.19 million before fees and taxes. Buybacks can impact investment firms like 3i by reducing the share count, which can boost net asset value per share if shares trade below the estimated value of the portfolio. Sharecast
3i is drawing more attention on valuation now as it trades at a 24.22% discount to estimated NAV, Fidelity says. The stock last closed at 2,311p. Fidelity has NAV at 3,046.9p. NAV is what shareholders would get after all debts. The hefty discount could mean shares look cheap, but it’s also a sign the market is wary about future returns or some of what’s in the portfolio. Fidelity International
Questions are growing around Action. 3i’s FY2026 results showed a £4.51 billion gross investment return from Action, still the main engine for the group. Like-for-like sales growth at Action slowed to 2.4% as of May 10, down from 6.8% a year ago. Those numbers don’t count new stores, only existing ones. CEO Simon Borrows repeated that Action’s strength is “focus on quality at the lowest price.” 3i also mentioned softer consumer demand in France, fewer store visits in Germany, and weaker sales in seasonal lines. 3i
3i’s next ex-dividend date is June 18, with the 48p second FY2026 dividend poised to go ex. Buyers after that date miss the payout. Focus is already moving to the Q1 update set for July 23. Investors are watching to see if sales at Action have stopped falling. The latest analyst consensus for March 2027 NAV sits at 3,486p. That’s based on 12 estimates between March 12 and May 20. 3i said these are analyst numbers, not company figures, and reminded that the estimates carry risk. 3i
3i bulls point to the group’s low 2% gearing, a big buyback, a strong balance sheet, and the forecast 84.5p FY2026 dividend. The portfolio put up a 22% total return for the year to March. Bears are mainly worried about big exposure to Action. If like-for-like sales at Action slow, more pressure could land on 3i’s asset values. These shares might fit buyers betting on Action. For more cautious investors, the NAV discount could be a warning, not a deal. 3i
