London, Feb 12, 2026, 07:52 GMT — Premarket
- On Wednesday, Barclays shares closed at 477.50 pence, marking a 0.65% increase.
- The bank revealed its initial purchases as part of the new £1 billion share buyback plan
- The emphasis remains on hitting higher return targets by 2028, alongside monitoring risks tied to U.S. consumer fees
Barclays shares are set to draw attention on Thursday following the bank’s announcement of its initial stock buys as part of a new £1 billion buyback programme.
This matters now because Barclays is pushing capital returns harder to maintain investor support while boosting profits, relying heavily on its U.S. operations for the bulk of that effort. Early clues on the timing and cost of the buyback feed directly into that discussion.
Barclays closed Wednesday at 477.50 pence, rising 3.10 pence, or 0.65%. The stock remains under recent highs but has outperformed many peers in the UK banking sector over the last year.
Barclays revealed in a Thursday filing that it repurchased 4,159,750 ordinary shares for cancellation on Feb. 11. The shares were bought at prices ranging from 474.20 pence to 487.95 pence, with a volume-weighted average price of 481.3216 pence.
Barclays announced a buyback following its full-year results and revised targets earlier this week. Profit before tax climbed 12% in 2025 to £9.1 billion, with the bank now aiming for a return on tangible equity exceeding 14% by 2028. CEO C.S. Venkatakrishnan committed to returning over £15 billion in capital to shareholders between 2026 and 2028. Finance director Anna Cross mentioned “a number of levers” to offset the impact of a proposed U.S. cap on credit-card fees. Meanwhile, Citi analysts called the new targets somewhat subdued. Reuters
Investors are closely eyeing whether Barclays can turn around a recent dip in deal fees. The bank’s investment banking income jumped 11% to 13 billion pounds in 2025, yet its fees dropped 2%, trailing behind Wall Street competitors.
There’s a downside risk. If U.S. credit-card fee caps hit harder than expected or deal-making slows, Barclays could struggle to boost returns while maintaining capital payouts—especially if rate cuts drag down interest income industry-wide.
Pay is also part of the equation. Barclays bumped Venkatakrishnan’s 2025 compensation to £15 million and revealed its staff bonus pool grew 15% to £2.2 billion, signaling that cost control will be weighed alongside buybacks and performance goals.
Traders are eyeing UK bank earnings ahead, with NatWest set to report on Friday, Feb. 13, followed by HSBC on Feb. 25. Both banks are expected to outline targets as the sector shifts focus from rate-fueled profits toward boosting fee income.
