0946 GMT - Vodafone Group's move to take full ownership of Three gives a fresh start to a business weighed down by debt and slow growth, AJ Bell's Dan Coatsworth write in a note. The U.K. telecommunications company will buy out CK Hutchison's stake in their joint venture for more than $5 billion. There are some signs of improvement both operationally and financially, setting it up for a turnaround, he says. Additionally, "VodafoneThree has decent scale in the U.K. and is enjoying good broadband growth, and Vodafone clearly sees an opportunity to accelerate growth efforts by having full control," he adds. However, the group needs to stay one step ahead given the highly competitive environment. Shares are down 0.4% at 1.18 pounds.(najat.kantouar@wsj.com)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 05, 2026 05:46 ET (09:46 GMT)

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