Sydney, Feb 15, 2026, 18:07 (AEDT) — The market has wrapped up for the day.
- Aristocrat Leisure dropped 5% to A$48.44 on Friday, hitting the low end of its 52-week range.
- The S&P/ASX 200 slipped roughly 1.4%, with the index dragged lower during a risk-off day.
- The Feb. 19 annual general meeting is now in focus, with investors watching for updates on trading and possible news about capital returns.
Aristocrat Leisure dropped 5% by Friday’s close, finishing at A$48.44—its weakest mark in a year. That puts the stock at the bottom of its A$48.44 to A$79.95 range for the past 52 weeks, after slipping under Thursday’s A$50.99 finish. The Australian exchange is closed until Monday. (Investing)
The move resets the week’s baseline, arriving just as the company faces shareholders in a few days. For a big ASX stock hitting a new low—no headlines needed—investors usually revisit their positions fast.
Monday brings a sharper question: was that selloff just a one-off shakeout in a soft market, or is there more downside to come? Aristocrat’s buyback is still in play, with its AGM coming up—both potential catalysts for buyers to return, unless, of course, the details underwhelm.
Friday’s session saw the stock kick off at A$50.81, ticking up briefly to A$51.01 before dropping to A$48.44, according to Morningstar data. About 1.69 million shares changed hands. Aristocrat’s shares have fallen around 16% since the start of 2026, the same data set shows. (Intelligent Investor)
It was a rough session across the board. The S&P/ASX 200 slid around 1.4% to finish near 8,917. AMP’s Shane Oliver flagged a “rotation from tech to non-tech” as funds shifted out of the more crowded names; meanwhile, Wall Street’s VIX volatility index ticked higher into the weekend, according to the ABC. (ABC News)
The company’s next big event lands Thursday: the annual general meeting (AGM) is slated for 11:00 a.m. Sydney time on Feb. 19. According to meeting papers, Aristocrat will host the AGM in the Gallery rooms at the Four Seasons Hotel and online, after finishing planned maintenance at its head office. (Company Announcements)
Capital returns remain in focus. Back in January, Aristocrat extended its on-market share buy-back, having already repurchased A$701.1 million in shares since February 2025. The total buy-back authorization now stretches to as much as A$1.5 billion, with the program running through March 5, 2027. CEO Trevor Croker pointed to “our consistently strong cash flow generation” as the reason Aristocrat can deliver both dividends and buybacks. The company also left itself some flexibility, reserving the right to change, suspend, or end the buy-back at any time. (ASX Announcements)
Company news has been sparse since the selloff kicked off earlier this week. The most recent entry on its ASX announcements board goes back to Feb. 11, and previous updates mostly feature buy-back notices. (Intelligent Investor)
Aristocrat, a top producer of electronic gaming machines, also operates across land-based casinos, social casino apps, and online real-money gaming, its Reuters company profile shows. (Reuters)
A buyback alone won’t anchor the share price, particularly if global risk appetite keeps sliding or if investors walk away from the AGM feeling there’s nothing new to chew on. Should the meeting turn out subdued, or management dial back on orders and spending plans, the stock could easily slip to another low, looking for support that just isn’t there in the short term.
All eyes are on A$48.44 when the ASX opens Monday—traders want to see if that level sticks. The Feb. 19 AGM looms as the next real test; remarks on either trading conditions or buyback momentum could easily drive sentiment for days.
