Tech, Banks Lead Record U.S. Buyback Wave
Companies have announced $983.6 billion YTD, the strongest start since Birinyi Associates' data began in 1982. July alone hit $165.6 billion, topping the prior July record of $87.7 billion set in 2006. The biggest buyers include Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG), JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM), Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) and Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS), alongside Apple.
Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Signs with AMD.
The mood is upbeat. Things are better than everyone makes them seem, said Birinyi president Jeffrey Yale Rubin, adding that many firms are flush with cash. Trade uncertainty has nudged boards toward buybacks when capex plans slow, and companies kept buying even when markets were softer. S&P 500 (SP500) repurchases reached $293.5 billion in Q1 2025, a quarterly record.
Larger buybacks can lift EPS, support shares on pullbacks and concentrate returns in megacaps, while sparking debate about investment versus capital returns.the buyback engine is humming, and investors will watch 2H authorizations and Q3 execution for confirmation.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
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