Vistry chairman and CEO Greg Fitzgerald has moved to back the business with his own money, snapping up £893,000 of shares just days after the house builder’s stock was hammered on margin fears and news of his retirement.

Fitzgerald bought 219,377 shares at £4.072 each yesterday, lifting his total holding to 1,509,167 shares, equal to around 0.47% of voting rights.

The dealing comes after Vistry shares slumped more than 20% last week to a near-decade low after the group warned 2026 profit margins would come under pressure from sales incentives and confirmed Fitzgerald’s planned departure.

Investors took fright at the softer outlook despite Vistry posting 2025 results broadly in line with expectations.

Fitzgerald plans to step down as chair at the AGM on 13 May 2026 and then leave the chief executive role by March 2027, with a search for his successor now under way.

The move also follows the Financial Reporting Council’s decision to open an investigation into two individual accountants, both previous employees, over forecasting and financial reporting in Vistry’s south division for the 2023 and 2024 financial years.