London, March 24, 2026, 14:28 GMT
RELX was trading flat around 2,461 pence as of 14:24 GMT on Tuesday. The British information and analytics firm has kicked off a new share buyback worth 350 million pounds ($476 million). According to the company, the program began March 23, set to wrap up by April 22. 1
This shift carries weight: RELX is doubling down on cash returns just months after an AI-fueled rout rattled investor confidence. Back in February, Reuters noted the stock had dropped by half over the previous year, as market players fretted about generative AI’s threat to software and analytics revenues. Even so, RELX responded by hiking its 2026 buyback target to 2.25 billion pounds, following 1.5 billion pounds in repurchases planned for 2025. 2
Hargreaves Lansdown senior equity analyst Matt Britzman said the expanded buyback plan “underlines confidence in the outlook” after the annual results. But he cautioned that sentiment isn’t likely to “turn around overnight,” noting that repurchases by themselves probably won’t resolve the debate over the shares. 3
RELX said its new plan is non-discretionary, so a broker will buy shares following strict preset rules instead of management calling the shots on each trade. J.P. Morgan Securities is handling the program on its own. Shares bought back will sit in treasury—off the market for now, either to be used later or canceled, the company added. Investors can expect weekly updates. 1
RELX wrapped up a 450 million pound buyback on March 20. Before that, it had already repurchased another 250 million pounds of shares by Feb. 11, as its full-year results showed. Now, this new tranche adds to a capital return push that’s been running quickly. 1
Management maintains AI will reinforce RELX’s standing, not erode it. Back in February, the company said in comments to Reuters that products built with AI would fuel growth for “many years to come.” Chief Financial Officer Nick Luff added that RELX’s “comprehensive data and content” continue to give it an advantage. 2
RELX logged 2025 revenue of 9.59 billion pounds, with adjusted operating profit coming in at 3.342 billion pounds. Back in February, the company said it was looking for another year of solid underlying revenue growth in 2026, and it expects adjusted operating profit to climb even faster than revenue. 4
Buybacks aren’t easing the main risk here. Earlier this year, RELX shares dropped—along with Wolters Kluwer and Thomson Reuters—after Anthropic launched a Claude plugin, fueling those persistent concerns that AI will eat into legal and analytics businesses. On Tuesday, the FTSE 100 slipped 0.1%. Middle East tensions and crude holding above $100 kept investors wary. 2
