Repurchase Of Capital Stock (Historical)
Returns the cash used for repurchasing the company's own shares. Stock buybacks are a method of returning capital to shareholders by reducing shares outstanding.
Understanding the Metric
Stock repurchases:
- Reduce shares outstanding
- Increase earnings per share
- Return cash to shareholders (alternative to dividends)
- Signal management confidence in the stock
Negative values indicate cash used for buybacks (outflow). Mature, cash-generating companies often have significant buyback programs.
Parameters
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Stock ticker (e.g., AAPL, MSFT) |
| Year | Fiscal year or period code (lq, ly, lq-1, ly-1, lt, lt-1) |
| Quarter | Optional: 1, 2, 3, or 4 (default: 1) |
| TTM | Optional: "TTM" for trailing twelve months |
Period Codes
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| lq | Last reported quarter |
| lq-1 | Quarter before last |
| ly | Last fiscal year |
| ly-1 | Year before last |
| lt | Last trailing twelve months |
| lt-1 | Prior trailing twelve months |
Examples
=hf_Repurchase_of_capital_stock("AAPL", 2023, 4)=hf_Repurchase_of_capital_stock("MSFT", "ly")=hf_Repurchase_of_capital_stock("META", 2023, , "TTM")=hf_Repurchase_of_capital_stock(A1, B1, C1)=hf_Repurchase_of_capital_stock("GOOGL", "lq")When to Use
- Analyzing capital return to shareholders
- Evaluating buyback programs
- Understanding share count changes
- Calculating total shareholder yield
- Comparing companies' capital allocation
When NOT to Use
| Scenario | Use Instead |
|---|---|
| Need stock issuance | hf_Issuance_of_capital_stock() |
| Need dividend payments | hf_Dividends_Paid() |
| Need shares outstanding | Check shares outstanding functions |
| Need total financing cash flow | Sum all financing activities |
Common Issues & FAQ
Q: Why is this value negative? A: Buybacks are cash outflows, so they're shown as negative numbers. A larger negative number means more aggressive buyback activity.
Q: How do I calculate total shareholder return? A: Total return = Dividends + Buybacks (both as positive numbers). Compare to net income or free cash flow to assess sustainability.
Q: Why do companies buy back stock instead of paying dividends? A: Buybacks offer tax advantages (no immediate tax for shareholders), flexibility (can be paused), and can support stock price. They're often preferred when management believes shares are undervalued.
Get Access to 1 Billion Usable Market data points IN YOUR EXCEL SHEETS WITH EASY TO USE EXCEL FUNCTIONS
Get started today