Sydney, Feb 23, 2026, 18:30 AEDT — Market closed.
- Orica closed down 1.2% at A$24.45, underperforming a softer ASX session.
- A filing showed another A$5.3 million spent on buybacks on Feb. 20, taking total spend to about A$458.4 million.
- Director Vikas Bansal disclosed an on-market purchase of 16,750 shares.
Orica Ltd (ORI.AX) ended down 1.2% at A$24.45 on Monday, even as the explosives maker flagged more buying under its on-market share repurchase plan. (StockAnalysis)
In a daily buy-back notice — a required update that lists the prior trading day’s purchases — Orica said it bought back 212,501 shares on Feb. 20 for A$5.3 million, at an average of about A$25 each. Total repurchases have reached 22,170,523 shares and the company has paid about A$458.4 million so far, leaving roughly A$42 million under the A$500 million cap. The buy-back runs until March 27, 2026 and is executed through Goldman Sachs Australia; Orica said “there can be no guarantee that Orica will repurchase any additional shares” and it can vary or stop the program. (Company Announcements)
The update landed in a jittery session for Australian equities, with the S&P/ASX 200 closing down 0.61% at 9,026 as renewed U.S. tariff tensions rattled sentiment. Materials was one of the few bright spots, while technology and healthcare took the brunt of selling, Market Index reported. (Market Index)
A separate exchange notice showed director Vikas Bansal increased his indirect holding, buying 16,750 Orica shares at A$23.8806 each on Feb. 23. The purchase lifted his holding via an associated entity to 21,116 shares, the filing showed.
Tariff uncertainty was one of the themes hanging over markets. NAB senior economist Taylor Nugent said the “time-limited 15% tariff rate would be higher than the 10%” under the previous regime. (ABC News)
Orica sells explosives, blasting systems and mining chemicals to miners and construction clients, tying its outlook closely to shifts in resources production and capital spending. Buybacks can cushion falls by adding a steady buyer, but they do not stop traders reacting to broader swings in risk appetite.
But the repurchases are optional, and the remaining headroom is limited. If commodity prices slide or customers pull back on activity, investors may focus less on capital returns and more on whether earnings expectations need to reset.
For the next session, traders will watch whether Orica keeps buying stock under the program ahead of the March end date and whether the wider market stays on edge over tariff headlines. Orica’s calendar shows an investor communications blackout from March 30 to May 6 ahead of its half-year results on May 7. (Orica)
