You've probably noticed it. That familiar M&S green bag is everywhere again, and honestly, the stock market is finally starting to believe the hype. If you are looking at the price of marks and spencer shares today, you’ll see the ticker MKS.L sitting at 364.50p as of the market close on January 15, 2026. That’s a decent jump of about 2.2% on the day.
But a single day's percentage doesn't tell the whole story. Not even close.
Last year was a bit of a nightmare for the retail giant. A massive cyberattack back in April 2025 basically broke their internal systems for months. It messed up online orders, ruined click-and-collect, and left store shelves looking a bit thin. Investors hated it. The share price tanked from the high 370s down to about 315p by the end of 2025. People were whispering that the "M&S turnaround" was just another false dawn.
Guess what? They were wrong.
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Why the price of marks and spencer shares today is actually a big deal
The latest Christmas trading update, which just landed a few days ago, shows that Stuart Machin and his team have pulled off something of a minor miracle. Group sales for the quarter ending late December hit nearly £5 billion.
What’s really driving the price of marks and spencer shares today is the food division. It is absolutely carrying the team. Food sales were up 5.6% on a like-for-like basis. While other supermarkets are fighting for scraps, M&S is hitting record market share levels—about 4.0% of the total UK grocery market. That might sound small, but in the world of cut-throat grocery margins, it's huge.
The Clothing Comeback (Sorta)
Clothing and Home is a bit more complicated. Sales actually dipped about 2.9% recently. But wait—don't panic. This wasn't because people stopped liking their jumpers. It was mostly the "long tail" of that cyberattack. They had bad data on their stock levels, which meant they didn't have the right stuff in the right places.
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The good news? They used a big December sale to clear out the old inventory. Now, they're starting 2026 with clean shelves and high hopes for the new spring lines. Analysts at Berenberg and UBS have been keeping a close eye on this, and most are still sticking with a "Buy" or "Moderate Buy" rating.
The Numbers You Actually Need
If you're thinking about putting money into MKS, you need to look past the ticker. Here is the grit:
- Market Cap: Roughly £7.33 billion.
- Dividend News: They just paid out an interim dividend of 1.2p on January 9, 2026.
- P/E Ratio: Sitting around 11x. To put that in perspective, Tesco often trades higher.
- Price Targets: Most Wall Street and City analysts are pegging a 12-month target at around 415p to 425p.
That suggests there is a fair bit of "meat on the bone" for investors if they can keep the momentum going.
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What could go wrong?
It’s not all Percy Pigs and champagne. The joint venture with Ocado is still a bit of a headache. They've been arguing over "performance payments," and while the losses at Ocado Retail are narrowing, it’s still a drag on the overall bottom line. Plus, let's be real: the UK consumer is still feeling the pinch. If people stop treating themselves to that "Dine In for £12" deal, M&S feels it fast.
Actionable Insights for Your Portfolio
So, what do you actually do with this info?
- Watch the 350p level: This has acted as a bit of a "floor" lately. If it stays above this, the recovery trend is likely intact.
- Monitor the May results: The full-year earnings are due in late May 2026. That will be the real test of whether the cyberattack costs are finally behind them.
- Check the Yield: With a prospective dividend yield of about 2.0%, it’s not a massive "income" stock, but it’s a nice bonus while you wait for capital growth.
- Diversify: Don't bet the house on a single retailer. Retail is notoriously fickle, and even the best turnaround can be derailed by a bad fashion season or a rainy summer.
Basically, M&S has transformed from a "struggling high street legacy" into a "slick food and data-driven operator." The price of marks and spencer shares today reflects a market that is cautiously optimistic but still wants to see the Clothing & Home division prove it can stand on its own two feet without the Food division doing all the heavy lifting.
If you're looking for a entry point, the current dip below the 400p highs of last year might be worth a look, provided you've got the stomach for the usual retail volatility.
Next Steps for You:
If you want to track this closely, set a price alert for 375p. Breaking through that resistance level would likely signal a run back toward the 400p mark. Also, keep an eye on the UK inflation data coming out next month; if it drops, retail stocks like M&S usually get a nice "macro" boost.