Orica buyback clock ticks: ASX-listed explosives group spends another A$5m on shares

Orica buyback clock ticks: ASX-listed explosives group spends another A$5m on shares

March 5, 2026

Melbourne, March 5, 2026, 18:31 (AEDT)

  • Orica snapped up 211,686 shares in a buyback on March 4, spending A$4.95 million.
  • The company has bought back around 23.2 million shares since March 2025, spending about A$484 million on the repurchases.
  • The on-market buyback has a ceiling of A$500 million and is set to wrap up by March 27

Orica Limited snapped up 211,686 shares on Wednesday, shelling out A$4.95 million as part of its ongoing buy-back. Prices ranged from A$23.29 to A$23.97 per share. To date, the company has spent about A$484 million buying back around 23.2 million shares through the program, with Goldman Sachs Australia acting as broker, according to a filing.

This update lands as the buyback enters its last few weeks, with the company nearly out of headroom to use the full authorised amount. Buybacks shrink the share count—so if profits don’t budge, earnings per share can get a lift.

Orica shares have stumbled lately, putting the buyback in sharper relief against a sluggish backdrop. On Wednesday, the stock finished at A$23.29, after closing Tuesday at A$23.82.

A company buying back shares on-market does it straight through the exchange, just like any regular participant. How fast they buy can swing from day to day—price moves, trading activity, or their own internal caps all play a part.

When Orica kicked off the buyback last year, chief executive Sanjeev Gandhi said the move “demonstrates the Board and Management’s confidence in Orica’s financial strength and outlook.” The company noted that the size and timing of the buyback would hinge on market conditions. Orica

Orica provides explosives, blasting systems, and mining chemicals for the mining and quarrying sectors. Its business moves in step with mining operations and contract volumes. Customers regularly press for cheaper rates and improved productivity.

Buybacks aren’t set in stone—Orica has the option to slow down, halt, or call them off completely. There’s also no promise the share price will hold up if wider market sentiment sours, or if the company shifts cash priorities.

Each day Orica buys shares, the market gets another buyback disclosure—giving investors almost up-to-the-minute insight into how fast the company is burning through its leftover buyback capacity with the March deadline approaching.

Konrad Wysocki

Konrad Wysocki is a senior markets reporter at Bez-kabli.pl, specializing in technology stocks, artificial intelligence and global financial markets. A graduate of the University of Rzeszów, he previously worked in investment research and market analysis. His coverage helps readers understand the key trends, companies and innovations influencing investors worldwide.

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