NEW YORK, Feb 19, 2026, 12:28 ET — Regular session.
- Omnicom shares rose about 13.5% in midday trade, outpacing a softer broader market
- The ad group outlined a $5 billion repurchase plan and raised its cost-savings target after closing the IPG deal
- Investors now turn to a March 12 investor day for details on 2026 priorities
Omnicom Group shares jumped on Thursday, extending an after-hours rise and putting the advertising giant among the day’s standout gainers as U.S. stocks edged lower. The stock was up about 13.5% at $79.62, while the S&P 500 slipped about 0.4%.
The move matters because this is the first real market test of Omnicom’s pitch since it closed the Interpublic tie-up: bigger scale, tighter costs, and fewer soft spots to lose business when marketing budgets wobble.
It also lands as investors have started to reward old-economy “do the work, return the cash” stories again, especially when growth is coming with a check attached.
Omnicom reported quarterly revenue of $5.53 billion, topping estimates, while adjusted earnings were $2.59 per share, slightly below forecasts, Reuters reported. It also booked $1.12 billion in severance and repositioning costs; CEO John Wren told analysts, “We’ve secured new business and extended contracts with leading brands such as American Express, Bayer, BBVA, BNY, Clarins, Mercedes, and NatWest.” Emarketer senior director Jeremy Goldman said revenue growth was “meaningful,” but “much of it was acquisition-driven,” as traditional agencies such as Omnicom, WPP and Publicis face tougher competition from Meta, TikTok and Google. (Reuters)
In a separate statement with its results, Omnicom said it is doubling its total cost-synergy target to $1.5 billion, including $900 million in 2026. “We are doubling our total cost synergy target to $1.5 billion, including $900 million in 2026,” Wren said, after the Interpublic acquisition closed on Nov. 26. (PR Newswire)
The company’s buyback plan is large enough to matter in the near term. Omnicom said its board approved a program to repurchase up to $5 billion of common stock, including a $2.5 billion accelerated share repurchase — a structure that uses banks to retire shares quickly and then true up later based on an average price. Omnicom said it expects an initial delivery of shares on Feb. 20, with final settlement no later than the end of the second quarter. (PR Newswire)
Still, the path is not straight. Integration work can spill into client service, and the size of the severance and repositioning bill is a reminder that the savings are earned the hard way and not always on the timetable investors want.
The downside scenario is familiar: ad spending cools, key accounts drift, and the synergy target becomes a moving number while costs land upfront.
Next up is management’s chance to put sharper numbers around the story. Omnicom said it will hold an investor day on March 12, with executives expected to present strategy and operational updates. (Omc)
