London, June 15, 2026, 11:02 BST
- Reckitt rose 0.34% to 4,654p in London. The stock is still down roughly 29% from its 52-week high.
- The company reported it repurchased 194,000 shares on June 12 as part of its buyback programme.
- Investors next focus on July 29. That’s when the company reports half-year numbers.
Shares of Reckitt Benckiser Group plc pushed slightly higher in London on Monday, with the stock trading at 4,654p, up 0.34%. Reckitt opened at 4,671p but slipped from that level as the morning went on. The company remains above Friday’s close and is trading well ahead of last week’s 52-week low of 3,664p. Still, Reckitt shares are a long way from the 52-week high of 6,514p. Google
Reckitt said it picked up 194,000 ordinary shares on June 12 at an average price of 4,633.39p. The announcement stuck to details about the buyback. Buybacks can lift earnings per share as the share count drops but profits stay flat. Reckitt now holds 38.9 million shares in treasury. The number of shares in issue, excluding treasury, is at 635.1 million. Investegate
Reckitt stock doesn’t have to get good sales news to go up—investors just need to sense a shot at more cash, higher profit, or estimate risk falling. But that can flip, and it has. Shares have been weak this year with demand soft in developed markets, and there’s worry about margins and prospects for 2026. Back in April, Reuters said Reckitt missed expectations for first-quarter like-for-like revenue. Core LFL net revenue edged up 1.3%, below the 2.9% forecast. Emerging markets did better, up 7.6%. The company flagged that first-half margins would be around 200 basis points under last year’s level. That’s 2% lower.
Reckitt is shaping up as a recovery play compared to where it stood a year ago. Most of the negatives are in the share price now, and the yield sits close to 4.6%. Reckitt is lowering its share count and focusing more on health and hygiene lines. Bears still warn the low valuation could be deserved. Softer demand for cold and flu products, higher input costs, currency swings, and Nutrition unit issues may keep profit growth tight. The stock’s cheap, but if earnings estimates get cut, it could head lower.
Reckitt reports half-year results July 29 at 08:30 BST. Investors want signs emerging markets can make up for soft Europe and North America, look for relief on margin pressures, and are eyeing whether management will stick to its 2026 guidance. The newest figures have shifted Reckitt from a clear value to a recovery call. Some holders may stick around for buybacks or a stronger emerging-markets story, but margin and sales risks are still here. Reckitt
