London, June 10, 2026, 15:06 BST
- Reckitt shares were last seen near 4,577p, up roughly 0.8% from the prior close. The stock hit a 52-week low just two days ago.
- The company reported a fresh buyback, picking up 205,000 shares on June 9.
- Investors are focused on whether capital returns will make up for slow first-quarter growth, weak Europe performance and the risk from Mead Johnson litigation.
Reckitt Benckiser Group plc picked up in London trade on Wednesday, with shares trading at 4,577p at 14:50 BST, up from Tuesday’s close at 4,540p. The move followed the consumer goods maker’s new 52-week low from earlier in the week. Shares are still well below the stock’s January 9 high of 6,522.92p.
Reckitt’s latest move is drawing attention, with investors now watching shareholder returns instead of just brand performance as the company works to get back on track after a weak start to 2026. Investors Chronicle reports the stock finished 18.39% above its 52-week low of 3,866p from June 8, showing shares are still climbing off the bottom rather than shifting into a new phase.
Reckitt said in its latest filing that it bought 205,000 ordinary shares on June 9 for a volume-weighted average price of 4,549.94p as part of its current buyback. The company is carrying out the buyback program by repurchasing its own shares, which can cut the number of shares available and help earnings per share if profits stay steady.
Reckitt said it will keep the repurchased shares in treasury. Following the deal, the company reported 38.29 million shares held in treasury and 635.72 million ordinary shares in issue, not counting treasury shares.
Reckitt’s next final dividend is set at 127.80p a share, with a payout date of June 12, AJ Bell’s dividend table shows. That’s one for income investors to watch.
The dividend and buyback help the stock, but investors are still asking the same question that’s been around since April: will growth pick up enough to reach management’s 2026 targets? In its first-quarter update, Reckitt showed 1.3% like-for-like net revenue growth for Core Reckitt. Like-for-like revenue excludes things like disposals, acquisitions and currency swings to allow for a clean comparison.
Emerging Markets rose 7.6%, lifted by China and India, but Europe dropped 4.2% and North America slipped 0.9%. Mead Johnson Nutrition, the non-core infant formula unit at Reckitt, was down 2.7% like-for-like.
Reckitt left its full-year Core Reckitt like-for-like net revenue guidance unchanged at 4% to 5%. Chief Executive Kris Licht said in the company’s Q1 statement, “We maintain our LFL net revenue guidance for 2026.” Reckitt said the target relies on cold-and-flu demand resetting, new product launches and stronger execution in Europe. Reckitt
Reckitt is staying active in bond markets, according to a funding update this week. The company said it priced €150 million of 4.000% notes due May 28, 2035 under its £10 billion Euro Medium Term Note programme. The notes, part of a debt issuance structure big firms use for ongoing fundraising, are set to be issued June 10.
Buybacks and dividends might fall short if operating momentum slips again. Reckitt’s first quarter was hit by a light cold-and-flu season, softness in Europe, geopolitical issues and sanctions tied to Russia. Higher commodity prices could also eat into consumer demand if they stay high.
Mead Johnson still faces legal pressure. Back in April, Reuters said almost 1,000 lawsuits have targeted Abbott and Mead Johnson, which is Reckitt’s Enfamil unit, claiming their cow’s-milk-based formulas for preterm babies are tied to necrotizing enterocolitis, a dangerous gut disease. Both firms deny their formulas cause NEC.
Reckitt’s half-year earnings are due July 29, and the company faces a key test. Investors want to see signs that the seasonal medicine weakness is fading and that Reckitt is on track for the 4% to 5% Core Reckitt growth target it set for 2026.
