ITV releases its first financial results since confirming its deal to sell its broadcast and streaming business to NBCUniversal’s Sky. The company reports that the results are slightly ahead of the prior year, and it uses the update to detail shareholder returns ahead of the transaction’s completion. ITV announces an initial share buyback of about £100 million (reported as roughly $135 million to $140 million across outlets). The buyback is described by ITV’s chief executive, Carolyn McCall, as an early return of part of shareholders’ value. Both outlets frame the buyback as a separate step taken while the wider Sky deal is still progressing. The company’s reporting also marks the first set of results following the Sky transaction’s confirmation, providing investors with updated performance information and an indication of near-term capital allocation. Neither outlet disputes the timing of the broader sale process, but both make clear that the buyback occurs before the Sky deal completes, and that ITV presents its performance as modestly improved versus the previous year.