Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management Acquires 7.59% Passive Stake in WPP plc

On May 15, 2026, Hotchkis & Wiley Capital Management, LLC (HWCM) filed a Schedule 13G disclosing a new 7.59% passive stake in WPP plc. As of the event date on March 31, 2026, the investment adviser reported beneficial ownership of 81,920,781 ordinary shares. This total includes shares represented by American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), where each ADR represents five ordinary shares. The filing indicates that HWCM maintains sole dispositive power over all 81,920,781 shares, but holds sole voting power over a lesser amount of 74,535,385 shares. This discrepancy is attributed to certain clients retaining voting rights over their respective shares. HWCM certified that the securities were acquired in the ordinary course of business and not for the purpose of influencing or changing control of the issuer. The shares are held on behalf of various clients who have the right to receive dividends and sale proceeds, though no single client is known to own more than 5% of the class.