London, March 5, 2026, 07:40 GMT
- Aviva reported a 25% increase in 2025 operating profit, boosted its dividend, and brought back share buybacks.
- According to a separate filing, the £350 million buyback kicks off March 6 and is set to run through August.
- Wall Street Zen lowered its rating on Aviva’s U.S. OTC ADR to “hold”. A Traders Union analyst cited potential for volatility in the short term.
Aviva reported a 25% jump in its 2025 operating profit to £2.203 billion on Thursday, and is bringing back share buybacks with a £350 million program. The board also approved a 10% increase to the total dividend. “We are commencing a £350 million buyback,” chief executive Amanda Blanc said, noting the group hit its targets a year ahead of schedule. Aviva
Citigroup Global Markets will start picking up shares for Aviva’s buyback on March 6, wrapping up by Aug. 6, with the stock bought in the market and then sold back to Aviva for cancellation, according to a regulatory filing. That timing isn’t just a footnote—insurers like Aviva use buybacks to hand cash back quickly, and for investors, the launch date often signals management’s conviction, not just another promise in a presentation.
Aviva’s optimistic messaging doesn’t quite match the shakier backdrop. On Tuesday, research platform Wall Street Zen downgraded Aviva’s U.S. OTC ADR to “hold” from “buy,” MarketBeat reported—a quick shift that highlights how rapidly sentiment can swing during results season. MarketBeat
Aviva posted a 17% jump in operating earnings per share, hitting 56.0 pence, while IFRS return on equity climbed to 17.5%. But the Solvency II cover ratio dropped to 180% from the previous 203%. General insurance premiums moved up 18% to 14.145 billion pounds. The combined operating ratio improved to 94.6%—anything under 100% signals an underwriting profit.
Shares finished Wednesday at 667.4 pence, rising 2.42% and putting the insurer’s market capitalization near 20.29 billion pounds, according to Hargreaves Lansdown data. The FTSE 100 added 0.80%.
Over at Traders Union, analysts pointed to overbought signals and pre-results bets as reasons for the recent price volatility, noting that support and resistance were jammed into a narrow range. “If the market mood improves and buyers step up, AV can quickly recover toward the upper band,” said Viktoras Karapetjanc, an expert at Traders Union. Traders Union
Aviva’s lineup spans insurance, wealth, and retirement offerings, with a sharper push lately into fee-based business, bulk annuities, and workplace pensions. In the UK, it’s up against names like Legal & General and Prudential, and personal lines continue to feel the usual price pressure.
Still, restarting buybacks doesn’t wipe away the tricky parts. A slimmer capital cushion, heavy claims (Aviva pointed to weather risks in Canada), or trouble blending in Direct Line could all drag on the pace of capital returns, even with profits up.
Aviva dropped its results at 0700 GMT, just before London markets opened, and plans to brief investors at 0830 GMT. Now, it’s up to management’s fresh targets and the speed of their buyback to win over a market that’s once again dividing into fans and doubters.
