REG - Reckitt Benckiser Gp - Special Dividend and Share Consolidation

Reckitt BenckiserAnnouncement

07/01/2026 07:00

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RNS Number : 8799N  Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC  07 January 2026

7 January 2026

RECKITT BENCKISER GROUP PLC

PUBLICATION OF CIRCULAR RELATING TO A SPECIAL DIVIDEND AND SHARE CONSOLIDATION
AND NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETING

Following the announcement on 31 December 2025 confirming the completion of
the divestment of the Essential Home business to Advent International, L.P.,
Reckitt Benckiser Group plc ("Reckitt") is pleased to announce that a circular
setting out full details of the proposed special dividend and associated share
consolidation (the "Circular") has been published today.

The Circular confirms that following completion, Reckitt intends to return
approximately £1.6 billion of excess capital to shareholders by way of a
proposed special dividend of 235 pence per existing ordinary share in the
capital of Reckitt (the "Special Dividend").

The Circular sets out full details of the proposed Special Dividend and
associated 24 for 25 share consolidation (the "Share Consolidation") and also
contains a notice convening a general meeting of Reckitt to be held at
Slaughter and May, One Bunhill Row, London, EC1Y 8YY at 8.00 a.m. on Tuesday
27 January 2026 (the "General Meeting").

Special Dividend

Reckitt confirms that it intends to return approximately £1.6 billion to
shareholders by way of a proposed Special Dividend of 235 pence per existing
ordinary share. The Board is proposing to pay the Special Dividend to
shareholders on the register as at 6.00 p.m. on Friday 30 January 2026 in
pounds sterling. An equivalent amount in US dollars is proposed to be paid to
those ADR Holders that are on the ADR register as at 9.00 a.m. (New York time)
on Monday 2 February 2026 (being the effective date for the Share
Consolidation for the ADSs).

Subject to (i) shareholder approval of the Special Dividend and the Share
Consolidation; and (ii) admission in respect of the new ordinary shares, the
Special Dividend is expected to be paid to shareholders on Friday 20 February
2026 and to ADR holders commencing Friday 27 February 2026.

The proposed Special Dividend is in addition to Reckitt's ongoing share
buyback programme and ordinary dividend policy.

Share Consolidation

It is proposed that, subject to (i) shareholder approval of the Special
Dividend and the Share Consolidation; and (ii) admission in respect of the new
ordinary shares, the payment of the Special Dividend be accompanied by a
consolidation of Reckitt's ordinary share capital on the basis of 24 new
ordinary shares with nominal value of 10⁵⁄₁₂ pence for every 25
existing ordinary shares.

The effect of the Share Consolidation will be to reduce the number of existing
ordinary shares in issue by approximately the same proportion of market
capitalisation returned via the Special Dividend (the market capitalisation
for which will be as of market close on 2 January 2026). It is anticipated,
therefore, that the market price of each ordinary share in Reckitt should
remain at a broadly similar level following the Special Dividend and the Share
Consolidation.

As all ordinary shareholdings in Reckitt will be consolidated, the number of
ordinary shares held by each shareholder will reduce, but the proportion of
the total issued ordinary share capital of Reckitt held by each shareholder
immediately before and following the Share Consolidation will remain
unchanged, save for fractional entitlements and any subsequent participation
in the Dividend Reinvestment Plan. Apart from having a different nominal
value, each new ordinary share will carry the same rights as set out in
Reckitt's articles of association which currently attach to the existing
ordinary shares.

As further explained in the Circular, fractional entitlements arising from the
Share Consolidation will be aggregated and sold in the market. The proceeds of
such sale of fractional entitlements below £5 will be donated to The British
Red Cross. The value of any one shareholder's fractional entitlement will not
exceed the value of one new ordinary share.

Additional resolutions

Given the change in the share capital of Reckitt, shareholder approval will
also be sought to renew the annual authorities to enable Reckitt to allot new
ordinary shares, disapply pre-emption rights and buyback its own shares to
cover the period between the date of the General Meeting and Reckitt's 2026
Annual General Meeting. Further details of these additional resolutions are
set out in the Circular.

Expected timetable

As set out in the Circular, the expected timetable for the General Meeting,
the Special Dividend and the Share Consolidation is as follows:

 Announcement and publication and posting of the Circular, including the Notice  Wednesday 7 January 2026
 of General Meeting, and Form of Proxy
 Latest time and date for receipt of proxy instructions                          8.00 a.m. on Friday 23 January 2026
 Record time and date for entitlement to vote at the General Meeting             6.30 p.m. on Friday 23 January 2026
 General Meeting                                                                 8.00 a.m. on Tuesday 27 January 2026
 Announcement of results of the General Meeting                                  After the General Meeting on Tuesday 27 January 2026
 Latest time for dealings in Existing Ordinary Shares                            4.30 p.m. on Friday 30 January 2026
 Record time and date for Ordinary Shareholders for entitlement to the Special   6.00 p.m. on Friday 30 January 2026
 Dividend and for the Share Consolidation
 Record time and date for participation in the Dividend Reinvestment Plan for    6.00 p.m. on Friday 30 January 2026
 the Special  Dividend and deadline for receipt of DRIP Elections for the
 Special Dividend
 Ordinary Shares marked ex-Special Dividend                                      8.00 a.m. on Monday 2 February 2026
 Effective time and date for the Share Consolidation                             8.00 a.m. on Monday 2 February 2026
 Commencement of dealings in New Ordinary Shares on the London Stock Exchange    8.00 a.m. on Monday 2 February 2026
 (after the Share Consolidation)
 CREST accounts credited with New Ordinary Shares (after the Share               On or soon after 8.00 a.m. on Monday 2 February 2026
 Consolidation)
 ADRs marked ex-Special Dividend                                                 9.00 a.m. (New York time) on Monday 2 February 2026
 ADR effective time and date for the Share Consolidation                         9.00 a.m. (New York time) on Monday 2 February 2026
 Credit of new ADSs to ADR Holders                                               9.00 a.m. (New York time) on Monday 2 February 2026
 Commencement of dealings in new ADSs                                            9.00 a.m. (New York time) on Monday 2 February 2026
 Payment of the Special Dividend to Ordinary Shareholders                        Friday 20 February 2026
 Payment in respect of fractional entitlements relating to the Share             Friday 20 February 2026
 Consolidation of £5 or more
 Commencement of purchases of New Ordinary Shares for DRIP participants          Friday 20 February 2026
 Dispatch of share certificates in respect of New Ordinary Shares                No later than Friday 20 February 2026
 Payment of the Special Dividend to ADR Holders                                  Commencing Friday 27 February 2026

 

Availability of the Circular

A copy of the Circular will be posted to shareholders shortly. A copy of the
circular has been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will be
available for inspection
at https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism
(https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism) .

In addition, a copy of the Circular will be available for inspection at
Reckitt's website at www.reckitt.com (http://www.reckitt.com) .

Capitalised terms used but not otherwise defined in this announcement have the
same meaning given to them in the Circular.

For further information

Catheryn O'Rourke, Company Secretary

Tel. 01753 217 800

103-105 Bath Road, Slough SL1 3UH

Registered in England and Wales, No. 6270876

Enquiries:

Investors and Analysts:

Nick
Ashworth
            +44 (0)7408 812350

Jon Bone
                         +44 (0)7408 811493

Media:

Anna Davies, Corporate Affairs
 +44 (0)7408 861689

Charlie Armitstead, FTI Consulting
 +44 (0)7703 330269

 

About Reckitt

We make the products people trust to care for the ones they love. We are home
to some of the world's best-loved consumer health and hygiene brands,
including Dettol, Durex, Finish, Gaviscon, Harpic, Lysol, Mucinex, Nurofen,
Strepsils, Vanish and Veet. Consumers are at the heart of everything we do. By
creating innovative, science-backed solutions, we support people every day to
live healthier lives.

Reckitt exists to protect, heal and nurture in the pursuit of a cleaner,
healthier world. This commitment goes beyond the products we make. Through our
actions, we expand access to healthcare, education and economic opportunities.
We support the planet by reducing waste, conserving resources and driving
sustainable innovation.

We believe good health starts at home. With every action we take, we strive to
make our consumers' lives easier, cleaner and healthier, to strengthen
communities and to create a more sustainable future.

*Reckitt is the trading name of the Reckitt group of companies

Cautionary note concerning forward-looking statements

This announcement contains statements which are, or may be deemed to be,
"forward looking statements" which are prospective in nature. All statements
other than statements of historical fact are forward‐looking statements.

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty
because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in
the future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results and
developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these
forward-looking statements, including many factors outside Reckitt's control.

These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this
announcement. Except as required by any applicable law or regulation, the
Reckitt expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly
any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to
reflect any change in Reckitt's expectations with regard thereto or any change
in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based

LEI: 5493003JFSMOJG48V108

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