London, June 22, 2026, 16:05 BST
- Autotrader shares were up 1.4% at 484.9 pence in late trading, outpacing the FTSE 100, which added 0.55%.
- Autotrader Group bought back and cancelled 5 million shares last week, cutting total voting rights to 790.47 million, according to a filing.
- Chinese automakers accounted for 15.8% of UK new-car registrations this year and controlled 43% of the plug-in hybrid segment, according to Autotrader.
Autotrader Group (LSE:AUTO) climbed in late London trade Monday. Investors got a look at a new buyback filing from the online marketplace. Some fresh numbers on surging Chinese car makers were also in focus as both helped balance slower short-term revenue growth at the company.
Autotrader shares changed hands at 484.9 pence, up 1.4%. The FTSE 100 added 0.55%. Monday’s move still leaves Autotrader down about 43% from its 52-week high at 844.4 pence. That’s driven focus on how much capital the company can return and how strong its position remains.
Autotrader Group disclosed in a Monday filing that it bought back 5 million shares for cancellation between June 15 and June 19 via Merrill Lynch. It paid daily average prices between 468.49 pence and 478.76 pence. The share buyback has cut the number of shares with voting rights down to 790,467,469. Buybacks back earnings per share, as the same profit is divided among fewer shares.
Scale matters more than how much Autotrader buys back in any one week. At Monday’s price, the company’s £500 million buyback for the year works out to around 103 million shares, or about 13% of the voting stock, before any fees or share price shifts. Autotrader is already putting some of that plan into action. That math is a big reason why management is guiding for at least high-single-digit basic EPS growth, even though the forecast for operating profit, £395 million to £415 million, only points to 1% to 6% growth over last year’s £392.7 million.
The second factor is the shift in the UK car market mix. New-car registrations are up 9% so far in 2026, with new entrants taking 15.8% of the market. Chinese brands are behind 43% of plug-in hybrid registrations—these are cars with both a battery and combustion engine—compared to 20.9% for fully electric cars.
MG and Jaecoo drew the most new-car inquiries on Autotrader in June. BYD was being considered by 22% of drivers in the survey, and brand recognition hit 51%, up from 22% in December 2024. “BYD is establishing itself in the UK faster than any brand we’ve tracked in a decade,” said Chief Customer Officer Ian Plummer. Price is still a sticking point: 30% thought a new entrant should come in cheaper, and almost three-quarters of those wanted at least £3,000 off. MarketScreener
Autotrader is getting more attention from manufacturers and agencies. That revenue line, while still only £15.2 million, jumped 14% in the last financial year — a much quicker pace than overall group revenue. The push from new Chinese brands looking to grow their presence and dealer networks could mean higher spend on marketplace ads, opening up another growth area for Autotrader, even if retailer forecourt numbers keep slipping. That’s based on the data, not on company guidance.
Autotrader’s potential is tied to holding onto its lead with consumers. The company, citing Comscore data, said people spent six times longer on its site than on its main rivals—CarGurus, Motors, and Carwow—put together. Over 80% of the traffic came direct. “Our competitive position has strengthened,” Chief Executive Nathan Coe said. Investegate
Autotrader reported a 4% rise in full-year revenue to £624.3 million, matching the 4% increase in operating profit, which came in at £392.7 million. Basic EPS was up 8%, with buybacks earlier in the year giving a boost. The company said average revenue per retailer climbed 5% to £2,995 per month. But the average number of retailer forecourts slipped 0.5% to 13,942. For April, Autotrader’s revenue was flat after a smaller price hike than in previous years.
The two catalysts don’t take out all the downside. Stronger inquiry growth for Chinese brands could need ongoing discounts, and that growth might not flow through to paid advertising. Retailer losses may stick around. The buyback looks set to push leverage — net debt to operating earnings — to about one times and drive up interest expense. Autotrader is still under Competition and Markets Authority review over online consumer reviews, and the possible hit there is unclear.
Autotrader faces its next key test at the July 16 annual meeting, where it’s looking for approval to buy back up to 15% of its share capital. But the bigger question is if retailer numbers rebound and if advertising for new brands can make up for soft, pricing-driven growth.
