London, June 16, 2026, 16:06 BST.
- Centrica plc shares were steady near 181.5p-181.6p on Tuesday. The stock fell 2.29% Monday and lagged the FTSE 100. Barclays Smart Investor
- Investors await the UK government’s move on Sizewell B and Centrica’s interim results, due July 23. Reuters
- Infrastructure and nuclear earnings are drawing bullish calls. Bears remain focused on weak trading profits, retail bad debt problems, and the ongoing buyback freeze. Centrica Plc
Centrica plc traded flat in London on Tuesday, with the shares last at 181.50p to sell and 181.65p to buy, adding just 0.05p, or 0.03%, as of 15:48 BST. Monday, the stock lost 2.29% to near £1.82, underperforming the FTSE 100, which was down 0.39%. Centrica is trading 17.59% under its April 7 peak of £2.20. Barclays Smart Investor
Centrica shares are weak after the boost from its buyback faded. The company halted buybacks back in February, breaking from a strategy that lifts EPS by cutting the share count. Centrica made the move following a 39% drop in annual core profit and a lower Optimisation unit profit forecast for 2026. “Pausing the buyback enables us to prioritise investment,” CEO Chris O’Shea said. Reuters
Focus is on big infrastructure moves, as Sizewell B is back in the spotlight. EDF and Centrica are looking to spend about £800 million to keep the Suffolk nuclear plant running to 2055, Reuters said last week, instead of a planned shutdown in 2035. The plant delivers nearly 1.2 gigawatts to the UK power grid. Centrica holds a 20% stake in the UK’s live nuclear reactors through EDF Energy’s British unit. A draft deal with the government could be out within weeks, per Reuters. Reuters
Centrica will post interim numbers July 23. The company said at its May AGM it plans to put about £1.1 billion into capital spending by 2026. Centrica now sees Retail EBITDA hitting the low end of its £500 million to £800 million forecast and pointed to warmer weather, swings in commodity prices and ongoing bad debt issues from residential customers. The Optimisation EBITDA target stays about flat, around £250 million. Infrastructure EBITDA should come in above the £500 million to £650 million range, Centrica said. Centrica Plc
Centrica is trading around 181p. The shares don’t look particularly cheap, but yield hunters may see something in the 3.03% dividend. Some investors want clearer earnings from Sizewell B and infrastructure before committing. Weak retail, softer energy trading and policy headwinds still lean on the price. In May, British Gas said it would pay £20 million to Ofgem’s Voluntary Redress Fund and write off up to £70 million for vulnerable customers. Centrica keeps its 2026 guidance unchanged. This is a stock for buyers who don’t mind regulatory swings and moves in commodities. Near-term traders are eyeing July 23 results and any news on Sizewell B—not the slight bounce on Tuesday. HL
