The original 2002 buyback plan is being replaced with the new $3 billion plan as the company has already repurchased 169 million shares from the existing share authorization of 178 million shares.
The buyback is on top of a dividend hike last month as well. At $71.78, this represents more than 41.7 million shares at current share prices. As of Friday’s closing bell, the market cap of the company was listed as $26 billion. With approximately 360 million shares of common stock outstanding, this represents nearly 14% of the common shares outstanding.
JON C. OGG