LONDON, March 5, 2026, 07:53 GMT
- Rolls-Royce reported fresh share repurchases as part of its £2.3 billion buyback programme set to run through 2026.
- CEO and CFO share awards vested, separate filings show, and both sold shares to cover withholding.
- The company tapped two retired U.S. military generals for its North America board, as well.
On Thursday, Rolls-Royce Holdings reported fresh buybacks from its ongoing £2.3 billion repurchase plan, picking up more shares on March 4 to cancel them. 1
These purchases mark some of the earliest daily disclosures since the company rolled out its 2026 program with last week’s annual results, giving investors a first look at the pace of planned cash returns. Fewer shares from buybacks could push up earnings per share, assuming profits don’t slip.
Rolls-Royce disclosed it picked up 211,791 shares via the London Stock Exchange, plus 149,361 on CBOE BXE, 53,076 through CBOE CXE, and another 35,401 on Aquis, all handled by Morgan Stanley. Prices ranged from a high of 1,347.5 pence down to 1,296 pence, according to the company. 1
The company plans to cancel the shares it bought and won’t keep any in treasury. Following the deal, it reported 8,422,829,289 shares outstanding. It also disclosed it has repurchased 5,007,332 shares since starting the buyback, paying a volume-weighted average price of 1,327.09 pence. 1
Just a day before, Rolls-Royce logged a fresh round of share buys from March 3, again splitting the purchases among those same four venues, with the low trade coming in at 1,263.5 pence. 2
Rolls-Royce, in a separate filing, disclosed that Chief Executive Tufan Erginbilgic and Chief Financial Officer Helen McCabe saw shares vesting under its incentive scheme, with some sold off for required tax withholding. The notice used the UK’s “PDMR” label—short for “persons discharging managerial responsibilities”—common in insider-trading reports. 3
This increase in reporting follows Rolls-Royce’s announcement on Feb. 26: annual profit up 40%, a share buyback worth 7 billion to 9 billion pounds set for 2026-2028, and higher forecasts and mid-term goals on the table. 4
Separately from its capital return, Rolls-Royce announced on March 3 that retired U.S. Army General Laura Richardson and retired U.S. Air Force General Duke Richardson will join the Rolls-Royce North America board starting January 2026. 5
Adam Riddle, who leads Defence and heads up Rolls-Royce North America, called it an “honor” to bring the pair onto the board. The company notes North America remains its biggest market, adding that both new directors are also joining a government security committee set up under a U.S. special security agreement. 5
Rolls-Royce has spent years up against heavy hitters like GE, Pratt & Whitney, Honeywell, and Safran—names the company itself points to as core competitors in its business review. 6
Still, buyback momentum isn’t set in stone. Rolls-Royce’s ability to generate cash hinges on how many hours its engines spend in the air and when deliveries actually land. The company has flagged ongoing supply chain snags and wider industry uncertainty as risks in aerospace. 4
Last week, Rolls-Royce put its 2026 guidance for underlying operating profit between £4.0 billion and £4.2 billion, with free cash flow seen landing in a £3.6 billion to £3.8 billion range. 7
