NatWest Group plc (NWG) has disclosed the purchase of 6,842,041 ordinary shares on 30 October 2026 as part of its continuing share buyback programme, with trades executed through UBS AG, London Branch across three venues. The repurchased shares, each carrying a nominal value of £1.0769, are intended to be cancelled rather than retained. The disclosure updates investors on NatWest's treasury position and total voting rights, both of which are relevant to shareholding threshold calculations under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

Key Points

  • NatWest Group plc (NWG), one of the UK's largest banking groups, listed on the London Stock Exchange
  • 6,842,041 ordinary shares repurchased on 30 October 2026 via UBS AG, London Branch across LSE, CHIX and BATE
  • Volume-weighted average prices ranged from 585.7270p to 586.8958p depending on venue; shares to be cancelled
  • Investors should watch for further buyback tranches and any update to the total shares in issue figure

NatWest Buys Back 6.84 Million Shares Across Three Trading Venues on 30 October 2026

On 30 October 2026, NatWest Group purchased a combined 6,842,041 ordinary shares across the London Stock Exchange, Chi-X (CHIX) and BATS Europe (BATE). On the LSE, 2,940,059 shares were acquired at prices between 576.20p and 626.00p, with a volume-weighted average price of 586.8958p. On CHIX, 919,719 shares were bought at a volume-weighted average of 586.7573p, while 2,982,263 shares were purchased on BATE at a volume-weighted average of 585.7270p. The highest price paid across all venues was 626.00p on the LSE, and the lowest was 576.20p, common to all three venues.

Buyback Conducted Under Instructions Issued to UBS in February 2026

The announcement states that the purchases form part of NatWest's existing share buyback programme and were executed pursuant to instructions the company issued to UBS AG, London Branch on 16 February 2026, as announced on that date. This structure is consistent with standard market practice for listed UK banks managing capital returns to shareholders. The company confirmed that all repurchased ordinary shares are intended for cancellation, meaning they will not be held for reissuance or used to satisfy employee share schemes, which directly reduces the total share count outstanding.

Treasury Shares and Total Voting Rights Following Settlement

Following settlement of these transactions, NatWest will hold 177,875,932 ordinary shares in treasury and will have 7,911,207,892 ordinary shares in issue, excluding treasury shares. The total number of voting rights in the company will stand at 31,646,764,128. The announcement notes that this voting rights figure serves as the denominator for shareholders calculating whether they are required to notify the FCA of an interest, or a change in interest, under the Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules — a standard regulatory disclosure requirement for UK-listed companies.

NatWest's Ongoing Capital Return Strategy in Focus for Investors

NatWest Group is one of the UK's largest retail and commercial banking groups, operating primarily across the United Kingdom and Ireland. Share buyback programmes of this kind form a core element of the bank's capital distribution strategy, returning surplus capital to shareholders by reducing the share count and, over time, increasing earnings per share. Investors tracking NatWest's buyback progress may monitor subsequent weekly disclosures for the pace and scale of further repurchases under the programme authorised in February 2026.