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LSEG Announces £3 Billion Buyback Following Profit Rise Under Activist Scrutiny

Management seeks to reassure investors by pointing to AI data partnerships as drivers of long‑term growth.

Overview

  • LSEG will repurchase £3 billion of shares over the next year, starting with a £750 million tranche launched today.
  • Full-year 2025 revenue rose 5.5% to £9.35 billion (6.8% at constant currency), with adjusted operating profit up 10.8% to £3.51 billion and pre-tax profit up 56.5% to £1.97 billion.
  • Shares climbed as much as 5% in morning trading after the results and buyback announcement.
  • Leadership positioned the group as a provider of trusted, licensed data for AI, citing agreements with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic, Databricks, Rogo and Snowflake.
  • Elliott Management is pushing for higher margins, a portfolio review and potentially a larger buyback or asset sales such as part of LSEG’s 51% Tradeweb stake, while LSEG set 2027–29 targets for mid to high single-digit income growth.