J Sainsbury PLC - London-based supermarket chain - Begins share buyback programme of up to GBP200 million to be completed by the end of its financial year on March 1, 2025. Says the first tranche will be for a maximum of GBP150 million in shares, ending on or before November 1. Sainsbury's confirmed on Thursday it would begin the programme, first announced in February, when it announced its annual results. Revenue rose 3.8% to GBP32.70 billion in the financial year that ended March 2 from GBP35.16 billion in financial 2023. The increase in revenue was offset by cost of sales rising 3.1% to GBP30.3 million from GBP29.4 million and administrative expenses rising 27% to GBP1.9 million from GBP1.5 million. Pretax profit fell by 15% to GBP277 million from GBP327 million. Despite the falling bottom-line, Sainsbury's declared a final dividend of 9.2 pence, taking its full-year total dividend to an unchanged 13.1p compared to a year earlier.
Current stock price: 259.20 pence, up 1.0% in London on Friday
12-month change: down 8.7%
By Greg Rosenvinge, Alliance News senior reporter
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Sainsbury's (SBRY)
