London, June 15, 2026, 18:03 BST
- Autotrader added 0.19% to 464.60p. The FTSE 100 dropped 0.39%.
- The company said it purchased 4,450,626 shares in a new buyback, and plans to cancel the shares.
- The AGM is next on July 16, with half-year results due November 5.
Autotrader Group plc shares held steady in London Monday, last seen at 464.60p, up 0.19%. The FTSE 100 slipped 0.39% to 10,430.62. Autotrader is still far below its 52-week high of 844.40p, trading just above last month’s low of 418.60p. Investors look to buybacks and cash flow as growth stays slow. AutoTrader PLC
Autotrader said in a filing it bought back 4,450,626 ordinary shares for cancellation between June 8 and June 12, using Merrill Lynch International. The company paid daily volume-weighted average prices ranging from 459.9453p to 470.8789p. Buybacks reduce the number of shares, which can lift earnings per share if profit stays the same. After these repurchases, Autotrader said it had 799,812,626 ordinary shares outstanding and 795,463,687 total voting rights. Investegate
Autotrader reported full-year revenue up 4% to £624.3 million and a 4% lift in operating profit to £392.7 million for the year to March 31, 2026. Basic EPS rose 8% to 34.17p. CEO Nathan Coe said, “We continued to grow both revenue and profits this year, despite a challenging backdrop.” The company gave back £463.2 million to shareholders in fiscal 2026, and is forecasting about £600 million in returns for fiscal 2027, with buybacks set to make up around £500 million. AutoTrader PLC
Autotrader’s lead in market share and margins are still at the heart of the bull story. The company claims buyers spend 11 times longer on its site than on its closest competitor, and six times longer than with all main rivals put together. Average revenue per retailer rose 5% to £2,995. But the growth rate has dropped. Revenue rose 3% in the second half, and fourth quarter growth was weaker. Average retailer forecourts slipped 1%. Revenue for April 2026 was flat from a year ago. Autotrader expects growth to improve in the second half. AutoTrader PLC
Autotrader faces cross currents. Investors favor stocks with strong growth or big buybacks, but tend to drop them if outlook or sentiment slips. The stock trades near 13.6 times earnings. Dividend yield sits at 2.5%. Margins are high for a digital marketplace, so the multiple doesn’t look expensive. But analysts are divided. Google Finance counts three buys, three holds, two sells out of eight recent calls. The company points to positive notes from Panmure, Investec and Deutsche Numis, but J.P. Morgan and UBS are at underweight or sell. Google
Autotrader’s metrics point to a stock that’s about fairly valued, with concerns about a possible recovery still in play. The buyback gives a clear boost to EPS and should support demand for shares. Still, a ratings upgrade seems unlikely unless there’s an improvement in retailer activity, paid stock volumes and package adoption. Next big date is the July 16, 2026 AGM. Investors will see more detail on performance with the 2027 half-year results, out November 5, 2026. AutoTrader PLC
