London, Feb 16, 2026, 10:03 GMT — Regular session
- Rentokil Initial shares picked up roughly 0.7% in early trading—a modest uptick following Friday’s close.
- Attention now turns to the full-year numbers coming March 5, with a CEO handover expected in the middle of the month.
- Traders want any fresh detail on how North America is doing and what’s happening with margins.
Rentokil Initial plc inched up early Monday, rising roughly 0.7% to 445.1 pence as of 1003 GMT, after starting the session at 443.4 pence. Shares moved between 443.1 and 445.7 pence in the first trades. That’s compared with a Friday close of 442.0 pence, London market data shows. (Investing)
This comes at a pivotal time for the company, with a series of events lined up that could shift the outlook for 2026. Rentokil’s full-year 2025 numbers are scheduled for release on March 5. The company has also confirmed that Mike Duffy steps in as CEO-designate starting Monday, before officially taking the reins on March 16. (Investegate)
Duffy stepping in adds fresh intrigue for investors, particularly after a rocky few months for a number of UK consumer and services stocks. Back in January, chair Richard Solomons highlighted Duffy’s “proven track record of delivering profitable growth.” Duffy, for his part, described the job as “an honour,” singling out what he called an “impressive global footprint.” (Investegate)
Rentokil puts its workforce at over 60,000 across roughly 90 countries, according to the company. (Investegate)
The shares are still trading under their recent peak. Across the last year, the stock has swung between 306.0 pence and 483.3 pence, market data show. (Yahoo Finance)
“Organic growth”—that is, sales growth stripped of acquisitions and currency effects—usually holds investors’ attention. Pricing, retention, and the cost structure in the North American unit also draw scrutiny. Guidance tone sometimes ends up outweighing headline results.
Bulls face a risk here: if March’s update arrives with weak demand across crucial routes, or margins miss the mark again, hopes for a re-rating might fizzle. Any hint of caution from management will likely keep the spotlight on debt, cash conversion, and the speed of tangible progress.
Looking out over the coming weeks, Rentokil’s next big event lands March 5, when results are due. After that, investors get a Q1 trading update April 16, then the company’s AGM comes up May 7. (Rentokil Initial)
