10 Companies Making Huge Stock Buybacks in 2018

For almost two years, investors feared that the wave of stock buybacks that helped drive the market to record highs was finally coming to a close.

Money bags with dollar symbol on floor near vault
(Image credit: Getty Images)

For almost two years, investors feared that the wave of stock buybacks that helped drive the market to record highs was finally coming to a close. Those quarterly buybacks peaked during the first quarter of 2016, plunged by the third quarter of that year, then simply leveled off at sub-par levels through the third quarter of 2017. That wave of easy upside looked like it was winding down.

However, with major tax breaks serving as a tailwind, U.S. corporations are looking to make such use of their cash again … in spades. Between Jan. 1 and Feb. 20, constituents of the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index announced buyback programs totaling $173 billion. That’s the largest buyback tally ever taken at this early point of the year, and bodes well for 2018’s per-share profits.

Here’s a rundown of this year’s biggest buyback announcements thus far. These share-repurchase programs don’t necessarily make these names worth owning, but they certainly bolster an already-bullish case for each company.

Disclaimer

Data is as of March 2, 2018. Click on ticker-symbol links in each slide for current share prices and more.

, InvestorPlace.com
James Brumley is a former stock broker, registered investment adviser and Director of Research for an options-focused newsletter. He's now primarily a freelance writer, tapping more than a decade's worth of broad experience to help investors get more out of the market. With a background in technical as well as fundamental analysis, James touts stock-picking strategies that combine the importance of company performance with the power of stock-trade timing. He believes this dual approach is the only way an investor has a shot at consistently beating the market. James' work has appeared at several websites including Street Authority, Motley Fool, Kapitall and Investopedia. When not writing as a journalist, James works on his book explaining his multi-pronged approach to investing.