Julius Baer sets CHF600m buyback plan

Julius Baer Group announced on 2 October 2026 a new share buy-back programme authorising the repurchase of its own shares for up to CHF 600 million. The bank plans to begin the programme in the coming weeks, with a maximum duration of one year. The initiative represents a sizable return of capital to shareholders within a defined timeframe and underlines the group’s current capacity to conduct such transactions.

The buyback will be executed via a second trading line on the SIX Swiss Exchange. Using a second trading line allows the bank to repurchase shares in a structured manner, separate from regular trading in the stock. The overall size of the authorisation and the planned execution period frame how much and how quickly Julius Baer intends to retire equity under the programme.

The group indicated that the timing and execution of repurchases will depend on market conditions and the receipt of all necessary regulatory permissions. This means that while the authorisation is set at up to CHF 600 million, actual buybacks will be adjusted in line with trading liquidity, share price levels and supervisory requirements. Purchases will take place on the SIX Swiss Exchange through the designated second trading line as and when the bank chooses to act.

By structuring the programme over a period of up to one year, Julius Baer retains flexibility in pacing the transactions. This approach supports the possibility of spreading buybacks over different market phases, while remaining within the overall size limit. The framework underscores a controlled implementation rather than a single, concentrated repurchase.

Alongside the new buyback, Julius Baer announced a revised capital distribution policy. The policy sets an intended dividend payout range of 40–60% of IFRS net profit attributable to shareholders. This provides explicit guidance on how future earnings may be allocated between shareholder distributions and retained profits.

In addition, the group reaffirmed a target CET1 capital ratio of 15%. Maintaining this target ratio signals the level of capital strength the bank aims to preserve while undertaking the buyback and paying dividends within the stated range. The combination of the payout range and capital ratio target frames the balance Julius Baer intends to strike between capital returns and regulatory capital resilience.

The announced measures indicate a structured approach to capital management that includes both share repurchases and regular dividends. The buyback authorisation of up to CHF 600 million, together with the dividend payout guidance, defines clear channels through which capital may be returned to shareholders. At the same time, the reaffirmed 15% CET1 target sets a boundary condition for these distributions.

Taken together, the programme and policy update provide visibility on Julius Baer’s intended capital trajectory over the near term. Shareholders gain clarity on the potential scale of repurchases and cash dividends, while regulators and markets receive confirmation of the bank’s target capital buffer. The announcements on 2 October 2026 therefore outline the key parameters of Julius Baer’s current capital return framework.