Vodafone Group Public Limited Company filed a Form 6-K on October 27, 2026, disclosing a TR-1 major holdings notification showing that Societe Generale crossed the 9% combined voting rights threshold in Vodafone as of October 23, 2026.

Key Highlights

  • Threshold crossed: Societe Generale's total combined position reached 9.007348% of Vodafone's voting rights as of October 23, 2026.
  • Voting rights attached to shares: Societe Generale held 8.991057% of voting rights through shares, representing 2,082,981,210 shares (ISIN GB00BH4HKS39 and US92857W3088).
  • Financial instruments: An additional 0.016291% of voting rights was held through financial instruments under DTR5.3.1R.(1)(b), covering certificates, contracts for difference, listed warrants, and OTC options.
  • Total voting rights held: 2,086,755,419 voting rights in Vodafone were reported as the resulting position.
  • Previous notification: The prior disclosed position was 8.946399% combined, compared with the current 9.007348%.
  • Notification date: Societe Generale notified Vodafone on October 26, 2026, one day before the filing was submitted to the SEC.

Societe Generale Exceeds 9% Combined Interest in Vodafone on October 23

According to the Form 6-K filed by Vodafone Group Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:VOD), the disclosure reflects a TR-1 standard notification of major holdings submitted under the requirements of DTR 5.8.12R(1). The notification was completed in London, United Kingdom, on October 26, 2026, and is attributed to Societe Generale, whose registered office is also listed as London, United Kingdom. The filing states that the reason for notification was "an acquisition or disposal of voting rights."

The direct and indirect share-based position as of the threshold date comprised 2,082,647,320 voting rights held directly under ISIN GB00BH4HKS39, representing 8.989616%, and a further 333,890 voting rights held indirectly under ISIN US92857W3088, representing 0.001441%, according to section 8A of the notification. The combined share-based sub-total therefore stood at 2,082,981,210 voting rights, equal to 8.991057%.

Beyond the direct share position, the filing lists several financial instruments with similar economic effect under DTR5.3.1R.(1)(b), all settled in cash. These include two certificates expiring December 28, 2026, and March 26, 2027; multiple contracts for difference with expirations ranging from December 8, 2027, through May 29, 2028; listed call warrants, listed put warrants, OTC call options, and OTC put options, several with expiration dates of January 3, 2033, and one listed put warrant expiring December 31, 2049. The sub-total for these instruments was 3,774,209 voting rights, or 0.016291%. The filing discloses that Societe Generale is not controlled by any natural person or legal entity and does not itself control any other undertaking holding an interest in Vodafone.

Vodafone describes itself in the filing as "a leading European and African telecoms company" serving around 370 million mobile and broadband customers across networks in 17 countries, with one of the world's largest IoT platforms holding over 240 million IoT connections globally, and financial services provided to around 103 million customers across eight African countries.

What Was Disclosed

The filing disclosed that Societe Generale crossed Vodafone's 9% combined voting rights threshold on October 23, 2026, with a total position of 9.007348%, up from a prior notified position of 8.946399%, and comprising both share-based rights and cash-settled financial instruments.