London, February 16, 2026, 09:18 GMT — Regular session.
- Compass Group shares rose about 1% in early London trade.
- The stock remains down sharply over the past year, hovering near its 52-week low.
- Investors are looking to the Feb. 26 dividend and the April 1 switch to dollar trading on the LSE.
Compass Group PLC shares rose 1.1% to 2,081 pence in early London trade on Monday, trimming recent losses after a steep slide. The catering firm’s shares are still down about 27% over the past year and not far above a 52-week low of 2,000 pence. (MarketScreener UK)
The move matters because Compass has turned into a litmus test for how investors think the office will look in a year or two. It feeds workers and guests; it does not control whether people show up.
There was no new regulatory announcement from the company on Monday, with the most recent filing on the London feed dated Feb. 10. That leaves the share price trading more on positioning and risk appetite than on fresh company specifics. (Investegate)
On Feb. 5, Compass reported 7.3% organic revenue growth for its first quarter ended Dec. 31, 2025 — “organic” meaning growth excluding currency swings and acquisitions — and reaffirmed its 2026 guidance. It said it had completed the $1.7 billion acquisition of Dutch caterer Vermaat in December and plans to switch the trading currency of its London-listed shares from sterling to U.S. dollars from April 1. (Compass Group Corporate Website)
That update did not close off the debate around artificial intelligence and office-based demand. Reuters reported that about 20% of Compass’ revenue comes from technology, professional and financial services clients, and JPMorgan analysts wrote: “Whilst a sound in-line print like today’s should otherwise be sufficient to reassure, it is unlikely to be sufficient to improve sentiment.” (Reuters)
Monday’s tape also comes without a Wall Street lead. U.S. stock and bond markets are closed for Presidents Day, cutting some of the usual cross-market cues until trading resumes on Tuesday. (MarketWatch)
Company calendar items are now in focus. Compass is due to pay its dividend on Feb. 26, and it has scheduled half-year results for May 11. (Compass Group Corporate Website)
Contract wins are another strand investors keep circling back to. Compass Group UK & Ireland said it won a seven-year food and beverage contract at Heathrow airport to serve more than 80,000 staff, with refurbishment work due to start in April. (Compass Group)
But the rebound is fragile. The shares are still parked close to a 2,000-pence one-year low, and any fresh wave of concern about office demand would keep sellers active.
The next hard dates are already set: the April 1 switch to dollar trading on the LSE, then the May 11 half-year results. Investors will be watching for any sign that the company’s growth outlook is holding up — and whether the stock can stay off its lows until then.
