LONDON, July 7, 2026, 20:03 BST
- Hikma finished the session 7.58% higher at 1,661 pence. Volume ran about 2.1 times the stock’s 50-day average.
- The 117p jump today points to around £248 million in equity value on the updated voting share count after cancellations, versus £131.96 million spent on the buyback since Feb. 26.
- Hikma launched XCOPRI in the UAE as part of its MENA expansion strategy. The company kept its 2026 group guidance for 2%-4% revenue growth and a core operating profit range of $720 million to $770 million.
Hikma Pharmaceuticals Plc LON:HIK jumped 7.58% to finish at 1,661 pence on Tuesday. That move topped the FTSE 100 Index (INDEXFTSE:UKX), which added just 0.13% to end at 10,665.88. Even with the gain, Hikma shares closed 19.05% under the 52-week high of £20.52.
Volume and buyback figures stood out. About 1.7 million shares changed hands, more than double the 50-day average of 795,791. With Hikma’s latest voting share count at 212.146 million post-cancellation, the 117p jump in a day works out to about £248 million in equity value. That’s nearly 1.9 times the £131.96 million spent on buybacks since Feb. 26.
| Tuesday tape | Figure |
|---|---|
| Shares finished | 1,661p |
| Change on day | +117p / +7.58% |
| FTSE 100 shift | +0.13% |
| Traded volume | 1.7 mln shares |
| Volume vs 50-day | 2.1x |
| From 52-week high | -19.05% |
Hikma said it bought 73,836 shares between July 1 and July 3, with 63,226 of those bought on July 3 at an average price of 1,545.7688p. Since starting the buyback, Hikma has picked up 9.74 million shares for £131.96 million. The company plans to cancel all repurchased shares.
| Buyback measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Most recent buys disclosed | 73,836 shares |
| Weighted price on last buys | 1,540.3p |
| Shares bought in programme since Feb. 26 | 9.740 mln |
| Total programme spend since start | £131.96 mln |
| Average programme price implied | 1,354.8p |
| Tuesday close vs average price | +22.6% |
| Voting shares after cancellation | 212.146 mln |
This is notable since Hikma has picked up shares under Tuesday’s close. The most recent buys came in at a weighted price roughly 7.8% under Tuesday’s finish. The programme’s average so far is about 22.6% below that level.
February was key for Hikma. The drugmaker dropped its medium-term targets and set 2026 revenue growth at 2%-4%, with a core operating profit forecast between $720 million and $770 million, Reuters said. That trailed a company consensus of $784 million. CEO Said Darwazah told Reuters the guidance offered a “realistic picture”. Peel Hunt’s Miles Dixon called it a “slower growth prospect.” Reuters
Hikma left its full-year outlook steady in April. At that time, Darwazah said the company was “on track to deliver revenue and profit growth.” Injectables were still looking at lower margin guidance, while Branded had the bigger growth goal. Hikma
Hikma’s collected analyst consensus, as of March 25, showed a target price at £17.70 and projected 2026 core operating profit at $729 million. Shares ended Tuesday about 6.6% under that target. They were further below it earlier this year.
Hikma on Monday launched XCOPRI in the UAE, making it the first cenobamate-based anti-seizure drug in the country. The company said the launch is part of its 2023 exclusive licensing pact with SK Biopharmaceuticals Co (KRX:326030) covering current products and future pipeline for MENA. Hikma gave no sales forecast in its statement.
| 2026 business guide | Revenue guide | Core operating margin guide |
|---|---|---|
| Injectables | Low single-digit growth | 27% to 28% |
| Branded | 6% to 8% | About 25% |
| Hikma Rx | Roughly flat | Near 20% |
Hikma’s UAE launch is in its Branded segment, the unit where the company sees the strongest revenue growth ahead. Back in April, Hikma guided for Branded revenue to rise 6% to 8% by 2026. That’s faster than Injectables, set for low single-digit growth, or Hikma Rx, which the company expects will stay about flat.
Hikma said its next scheduled event is the 2026 interim results announcement set for Aug. 6.
