London, Feb 15, 2026, 13:22 GMT — Market closed.
- Vodafone shares ended Friday slightly lower ahead of Monday’s reopen in London.
- A steady drumbeat of buyback dealing and funding documents is keeping the focus on cash returns and balance-sheet moves.
- UK inflation data due midweek could swing rate bets that feed into defensive, dividend-paying stocks.
Vodafone Group Plc shares last closed at 114.15 pence, down 0.31%, after a subdued finish to the week in London trade. (Reuters)
With the market shut on Sunday, investors go into the next session looking for direction from two familiar levers: capital returns and funding costs. Vodafone sits in the middle of that push-and-pull, especially when it is buying stock and keeping debt options open.
Rates are the other live wire. Bank of England Chief Economist Huw Pill said on Friday that interest rates were “a little bit too low” with underlying inflation nearer 2.5%, a line that landed as markets debate how many cuts are left in 2026. (Reuters)
In its latest buyback disclosure, Vodafone said it bought 11,293,787 shares on Feb. 12 from Goldman Sachs International at a volume-weighted average price of 114.68 pence. It said it would hold the shares in treasury — stock the company owns itself — leaving 23,284,156,692 shares in issue excluding treasury shares. (Investegate)
Vodafone also published a supplementary prospectus tied to its €30 billion Euro Medium Term Note programme, a framework it can use to issue bonds. The company said the Financial Conduct Authority approved the supplement dated Feb. 12. (Investegate)
The filings land after Vodafone told investors earlier this month it expected its full-year adjusted core earnings — its main profit measure — and free cash flow to come in at the upper end of guidance. Chief Executive Margherita Della Valle said customer experience in Germany was improving, adding: “Every quarter customer experience goes one step higher.” (Reuters)
Macro traders will also have Wednesday circled. Britain’s January consumer price inflation data are due at 0700 GMT on Feb. 18, a print that can nudge gilt yields and, in turn, the appeal of high-debt, yield-sensitive names like telecoms. (Gov)
But there is a catch. Buybacks can smooth the ride, not rewrite the story, and any wobble in cash generation or a fresh jump in funding costs can put leverage back at the centre of the debate — especially with Germany still viewed as a make-or-break market.
The next hard company catalyst is Vodafone’s FY26 results on May 12, when investors will look for detail on cash flow, debt and how long the current pace of buybacks can run. (Vodafone)
