UK's 3i Group FY total return rises, launches £750 mln buyback

3i

14/05/2026 07:11

Overview

UK investment manager's FY2026 total return rose yr/yr, driven by Action's performance

Net asset value per share increased to 3,030p from 2,542p

Company announced £750 mln share buyback programme, to complete by year-end 2026

Outlook

Company expects increased inflation in coming months due to heightened geopolitical risk

3i Group plans to complete up to £750 mln share buyback by 31 Dec 2026

Company says international expansion of Action and capital allocation remain strategic priorities

Result Drivers

ACTION PERFORMANCE - Action remained the principal driver of group returns, delivering strong net sales and EBITDA growth, with continued store expansion and entry into new countries

CONSUMER CAUTION IN FRANCE - Like-for-like sales growth at Action was moderated by consumer caution and increased competition in France, its largest market

ROYAL SANDERS GROWTH - Royal Sanders delivered another year of robust growth, supported by above market performance from key customers and value-accretive acquisitions

Company press release: ID:nRSN2396Ea

Key Details

Metric
Beat/Miss
Actual
Consensus Estimate
FY Dividend
GBP 0.85
FY Net Asset Value
GBP 30.89 bln
FY Net Asset Value Per Share
GBP 30.30
FY Net Debt
-GBP 547 mln
FY Operating Expenses
-GBP 135 mln


Analyst Coverage

The current average analyst rating on the shares is "buy" and the breakdown of recommendations is 11 "strong buy" or "buy", no "hold" and 3 "sell" or "strong sell"

The average consensus recommendation for the investment management & fund operators peer group is "buy"

Wall Street's median 12-month price target for 3i Group PLC is GBp4,100.00, about 69.4% above its May 13 closing price of GBp2,421.00

The stock recently traded at 4 times the next 12-month earnings vs. a P/E of 6 three months ago

For questions concerning the data in this report, contact Estimates.Support@lseg.com. For any other questions or feedback, contact reuters.support@thomsonreuters.com.

(This story was created using Reuters automation and AI based on LSEG and company data. It was checked and edited by a Reuters journalist prior to publication.)