Sydney, Feb 25, 2026, 17:47 AEDT — Market closed.
- Telstra ended lower as the stock traded without the next dividend attached
- The company’s on-market buyback continued, according to an ASX filing
- Investors now look to the dividend record date and buyback updates
Telstra Group (TLS) shares fell 3.2% to A$5.08 on Wednesday, underperforming a broader market rally as the stock traded ex-dividend. (StockAnalysis)
The telco started trading without entitlement to its interim dividend, with the record date due on Thursday, according to Telstra’s investor calendar. That timing can trigger short-term price moves as income-focused funds reset positions. (Telstra.com)
The S&P/ASX 200 closed up 1.17% at 9,128.3, a record finish, leaving defensive names like Telstra fighting for attention in a session led by results-driven buying elsewhere. (Investing)
A daily buy-back update showed Telstra bought back 1,558,128 shares for about A$7.94 million, paying between A$5.07 and A$5.13 a share. The filing also said Telstra can suspend or terminate the program at any time.
Telstra’s board last week declared an interim dividend of 10.5 Australian cents a share, 90.5% franked, with payment due on March 27. Franking credits are Australian tax credits attached to some dividends, which can lift after-tax returns for eligible investors. (Telstra.com)
The ex-dividend drop was larger than the payout, a reminder that dividends do not “lock in” a floor under a stock price. Traders also pointed to profit-taking after last week’s rally.
Telstra’s buyback and dividend plans were refreshed alongside its first-half results, when it lifted the size of its on-market buyback to A$1.25 billion and tightened its full-year earnings outlook. (Reuters)
Peer TPG Telecom ended little changed, closing at A$3.91. (StockAnalysis)
The near-term setup is straightforward: dividend-driven flows fade, and the tape goes back to buyback cadence and what the company can keep paying for stock without chasing the price.
For Telstra, management has guided to full-year EBITDA after lease amortisation of A$8.2 billion to A$8.4 billion — a range investors will keep stress-testing as competition and pricing in mobile stay in focus. (Telstra.com)
Next up is the interim dividend record date on Feb. 26 and the dividend reinvestment plan election deadline on Feb. 27, before cash hits accounts on March 27. (Market Index)
