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What is a stock buyback? Buying its own shares, with real US companies

A stock buyback is a company buying its own shares. How it is worked out, where a 10-K or 10-Q shows it, what it leaves out, and real US examples.

By · Checked against filings: , 2 min read, Seen in 67 companies on Cityfort. Editorial policy. Corrections

For learning only. Cityfort is not a registered investment adviser or broker-dealer and does not recommend buying or selling any security. Prices shown are dated and may be out of date.

What is a stock buyback?

A stock buyback, or share repurchase, is a company using its cash to buy back its own shares. It can buy on the stock market or another way, such as a tender offer.[S1]

Bought shares are retired or kept as "treasury stock" for later use.[S4][S5]

How is a buyback worked out?

The amount spent is shares bought times the average price paid per share. Filings report both, month by month.[S1]

The latest buyback card on Costco's page shows $847M (Aug 30, 2026).

A board's authorization sets a ceiling, not a promise. Micron's 10-K says its authorization "does not obligate us to repurchase any common stock."[S6]

Where do you find it in a 10-K or 10-Q?

Look for a table called "Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities". It sits in 10-K Item 5 and 10-Q Part II, Item 2.[S2][S3] It shows shares bought, the average price, and what may still be bought under announced programs.[S1]

The cash paid is under financing activities in the cash flow statement. Costco labels it "Repurchases of common stock".[S4] Costco says it buys under Rule 10b5-1 trading plans.[S4]

What does a buyback figure leave out?

  • New shares issued. Shares given to employees can offset the ones bought. ServiceNow says its buybacks partly manage that dilution.[S5] See stock-based pay and dilution.
  • Cash timing. Costco says its repurchase totals may differ from the cash flow line because of trades not yet settled.[S4]
  • What is left to buy. The amount spent does not show the unused authorization; the Item 703 table's last column does.[S1]

See it in real companies

Latest share buyback on the page at companies on Cityfort

67 companies on Cityfort, listed A–Z (not ranked).

AbbVie
$1.1BSep 30, 2026 · Bought 5 million shares for $1.1 billion in the first nine months of 2026; about $1.8 billion of authorization remained at Sep 30, 2026. · source S4
Adobe
$6.8BAug 28, 2026 · Repurchased $6.82 billion in the first nine months of FY2026; 26.1 million shares were delivered. · source S13, S6
Airbnb
$2.9BSep 30, 2026 · Shares repurchased in the first nine months of 2026. · source S5
Alphabet
$45.7BDec 31, 2025 · Shares repurchased during FY2025 (cash paid). · source S1, S6
AMD
$221MJun 27, 2026 · Repurchased 1.1 million shares in the first half of FY2026, none in Q2; $9.2 billion of the program remained. · source S7
Apple
$61.8BJun 27, 2026 · Repurchased 215 million shares in the first nine months of FY2026 for $61.8 billion. · source S6
AT&T
$7.5BSep 30, 2026 · Treasury share purchases in the first nine months of FY2026 · source S6
Berkshire Hathaway
$4.8BJun 30, 2026 · First half of 2026: 511 Class A and 9,029,655 Class B shares, after buybacks restarted on Mar 4, 2026. · source S6, S24
Block
$701MSep 30, 2026 · First nine months of 2026: 11.6 million shares, none in Q3. · source S5
Booking Holdings
$9.9BSep 30, 2026 · Repurchases of common stock in the first nine months of 2026 · source S8
Broadcom
$600MMay 3, 2026 · Bought back $0.6 billion of shares in Q2 FY2026. · source S14
Caterpillar
$7.7BSep 30, 2026 · Common stock repurchased in the first nine months of FY2026, including accelerated agreements, so cash spent and shares received differ by quarter. · source S13, S6
Chevron
$8.1BSep 30, 2026 · Shares repurchased in the first nine months of FY2026, excluding excise tax · source S6
Chipotle
$1.5BSep 30, 2026 · Bought back $1.5 billion of common stock in the first nine months of 2026, of which $110.0 million in Q3. · source S7
Cisco
$6.1BJul 25, 2026 · Shares repurchased under the program during FY2026 (cash paid). · source S1
Coca-Cola
$787MOct 2, 2026 · First nine months of FY2026: bought back 10.0 million shares at an average of $78.77. · source S14
Coinbase
$1.2BSep 30, 2026 · First nine months of 2026, Class A shares. · source S5
Comcast
$2.2BSep 30, 2026 · 76 million Class A shares repurchased under the program in the nine months to Sep 30, 2026, none in Q3; the program is suspended until the planned NBCUniversal spin-off. · source S6
Costco
$847MAug 30, 2026 · FY2026: bought back 891,000 shares at an average of $950.90. · source S1
CrowdStrike
$176MJul 31, 2026 · Repurchases were $175.6 million in the first half of FY2027, none in Q2. · source S7, S5
CVS Health
$3.0BDec 31, 2024 · FY2024: paid $3.0 billion for its own shares. · source S1
Dell
$5.4BJul 31, 2026 · Shares repurchased in the first half of FY2027 (cash paid), about 20 million shares. · source S6, S35
Disney
$7.2BJun 27, 2026 · First nine months of FY2026: 68 million shares for $7.2 billion. · source S48
DoorDash
$1.0BSep 30, 2026 · Repurchases in the first nine months of 2026: 6.8 million shares at an average of $155.25; none in Q3 · source S5

And 43 more companies on Cityfort; each stock page shows it in context.

From each company's filings, as cited on its Cityfort stock page. These figures change when a stock page is updated.

Check yourself

2 questions on what this page explains. Nothing is saved or scored.

  1. Q1 · Where in a 10-Q is the monthly table of a company's own share purchases?
    Show the answer

    The answer: Part II, Item 2

    Form 10-Q, Part II, Item 2 asks for the Item 703 information for repurchases made in the quarter, shown month by month.[S3]

  2. Q2 · What does the last column of the Item 703 table show?
    Show the answer

    The answer: The number or dollar value of shares that may still be bought under announced programs

    Column (d) is the maximum number, or approximate dollar value, of shares that may yet be purchased under the plans or programs.[S1]

Questions people ask

Is a buyback authorization a promise to repurchase shares?
No. Micron's 10-K for fiscal 2026 says its program and new authorization do not obligate it to acquire any common stock. ServiceNow's 10-Q says its program may be suspended or discontinued at any time.[S6][S5]
What happens to the shares a company buys back?
It depends on the company. Costco's 10-K says its repurchased shares are retired, as Washington state law provides. ServiceNow's 10-Q says it records them as treasury stock, held for future issuance.[S4][S5]
What is an accelerated share repurchase?
ServiceNow's 10-Q for the quarter ended Sep 30, 2026 describes one. It agreed with a financial institution to buy a fixed dollar amount of its stock. The share count and average price were set at final settlement, from the volume-weighted average price over the term, less an agreed discount.[S5]
What does SEC Rule 10b-18 do?
It gives a company a safe harbor from manipulation claims based only on the manner, timing, price and volume of its open-market buybacks. All four conditions must be met each day. Using it is voluntary, and missing a condition creates no presumption of a violation.[S7]
How can a buyback change earnings per share?
Basic earnings per share divides net income by the weighted average number of shares outstanding in the period. Shares bought back and retired or held in treasury reduce that count, so the same net income is spread over fewer shares.[S4][S5]

Sources

  1. S117 CFR 229.703 (Regulation S-K Item 703): purchases of equity securities by the issuer and affiliated purchasers (eCFR, up to date as of Nov 4, 2026) · Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR)Tier 1: company or exchange filing · Nov 4, 2026
  2. S2Form 10-K, General Instructions and Part II, Item 5 (Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities) (form version SEC 1673, 02-25) · U.S. Securities and Exchange CommissionTier 1: company or exchange filing · Feb 1, 2025
  3. S3Form 10-Q, Part II, Item 2 (Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds) (form version SEC 1296, 02-25) · U.S. Securities and Exchange CommissionTier 1: company or exchange filing · Feb 1, 2025
  4. S4Costco Wholesale Corporation: Form 10-K for fiscal year 2026 (ended Aug 30, 2026): Item 5 (Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities), consolidated statements of cash flows, Note 1 (net income per common share; stock repurchase programs) and Note 6 (Equity) · Costco Wholesale Corporation (SEC EDGAR)Tier 1: company or exchange filing · Oct 7, 2026
  5. S5ServiceNow, Inc.: Form 10-Q for the quarter ended Sep 30, 2026, notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements (Share Repurchase Program) and MD&A (Share Repurchase Program) · ServiceNow, Inc. (SEC EDGAR)Tier 1: company or exchange filing · Oct 28, 2026
  6. S6Micron Technology, Inc.: Form 10-K for fiscal 2026 (year ended Sep 3, 2026): Item 1A (risk factors), Item 5 (Issuer Purchase of Equity Securities) and Note 12 (Equity) · Micron Technology, Inc. (SEC EDGAR)Tier 1: company or exchange filing · Oct 9, 2026
  7. S717 CFR 240.10b-18 (Rule 10b-18): purchases of certain equity securities by the issuer and others, Preliminary Note 1 and paragraphs (b) and (d) (eCFR, up to date as of Nov 4, 2026) · Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR)Tier 1: company or exchange filing · Nov 4, 2026

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