Imperial Brands PLC Makes Brisk Moves to Scrub Shares, Announces Significant Cancellations

In a bold and ambitious step, Imperial Brands PLC has recently made headlines with its substantial purchase of own shares slated for cancellation. These purchases were made as part of a GBP 1.25 billion share repurchase program, which was originally announced in October 2024. The Company notes that the purchases occurred on two separate occasions. The first purchase, which transpired on May 19th, 2025, saw the acquisition of 133,414 ordinary shares of 10 pence each. Subsequently, on May 22nd, 2025, the company bought back an additional 200,000 shares, again, ordinary shares of 10 pence each. These purchases may stand as a litmus test for evaluating the confidence of the company in its own future. The average prices paid per share were GBp 2,731.7134 and GBp 2,761.6979 respectively, offering a glimpse into the perceived value of the company’s shares. The shares were bought from Barclays Capital Securities Limited via on-exchange transactions that adhered to the rules of the London Stock Exchange. Following the settlement and cancellation of these shares, the remaining number of ordinary shares in issue will be 818,801,804, excluding treasury shares. This figure, Imperial Brands PLC clarified, is the denominator shareholders and others with notification obligations should use for their calculations to determine whether they need to reveal their interest in or changes to their interest in the company, in line with Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. The move reflects the company’s commitment to investing in its own future success, and it’s likely to be closely watched by shareholders and market analysts alike.