10 Dividend Stocks with the Biggest Buyback Programs

Published on January 24, 2024 at 3:31 pm by Vardah Gill in Dividend Stocks, Hedge Funds, News

In this article, we discuss dividend stocks with the biggest buyback programs. You can skip our detailed analysis of buyback programs and dividend stocks, and go directly to read 5 Dividend Stocks with the Biggest Buyback Programs.

Share buybacks refer to the process by which a company repurchases its own shares from the open market. By repurchasing shares, a company can return excess cash to shareholders and optimize its capitalization. US companies have hesitated to buy back their own shares due to the Federal Reserve’s efforts to combat inflation by increasing interest rates, leading to higher borrowing expenses. Bloomberg Intelligence reported that share buybacks have experienced a decline for five consecutive quarters following a peak in 2022. However, in one of our articles titled 11 Stocks with the Biggest Buyback, we highlighted that the resurgence of share buyback activity is becoming prominent. This is attributed to the Federal Reserve’s potential readiness to reduce interest rates and an anticipated improvement in earnings growth forecasts. Investors are optimistic that, with these factors in play, more companies will utilize their recently freed-up capital by engaging in stock market investments. In addition, our coverage included information from a Wall Street Journal report citing VerityData’s data, indicating that accelerated share repurchases (ASRs) were poised to achieve their second-highest quarterly performance since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This aligns with the latest report from S&P Dow Jones Indices, which noted that share repurchases in Q3 2023 amounted to $185.6 billion, marking a 6.1% increase compared to the $174.9 billion spent in the preceding quarter. Analysts express confidence in the potential for robust buyback activity throughout the current year. They believe that increased buyback activity could have positive implications for shareholder value, earnings per share, and overall market performance. Analysts at Deutsche Bank anticipate that even at their presently restrained rate, buybacks are expected to contribute to generating annual returns in the range of 7% to 8% for the S&P 500 index. In a research note dated January 12, strategists from the bank penned their insights or analysis. Here is what they say:

“The key reason buybacks remain subdued is the continued overhang of cyclical uncertainty with the consensus of economists steadfast in their forecast for a sharp and imminent slowdown. However, further increases in earnings as in our forecast should prompt increases in buybacks.”

Dividend companies in the US are actively participating in share buyback programs. While dividends involve distributing a portion of the company’s profits to shareholders in cash, buybacks involve using company funds to repurchase its own outstanding shares from the market. Both mechanisms are ways for companies to return value to shareholders. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), and Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) are some of the best dividend stocks with the biggest buyback programs. They are highlighted alongside other noteworthy companies in the list below, all recognized for their strong combination of dividend payments and substantial share buybacks.

Photo by nick chong on Unsplash

Our Methodology:

In this article, we used a report by S&P Dow Jones Indices that gathered information on stock repurchases in 2022 and 2023. From this comprehensive report, we identified 10 dividend-paying companies that had the greatest dollar value of share buybacks in the 12 months leading up to September 2023. We also mentioned hedge fund sentiment data for these stocks where available. Hedge funds’ top 10 consensus stock picks outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). That’s why we pay very close attention to this often-ignored indicator.

10. Deere & Company (NYSE:DE)

Stock Buybacks in 12 Months Through September 2023: $7.24 Billion

Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) is an American company that operates in the agricultural, construction, forestry, and turf care industries. On December 6, 2023, the company declared a 9% hike in its quarterly dividend to $1.47 per share, which was its second dividend growth for the year. Moreover, it has been making regular dividend payments to shareholders since 1990. The stock has a dividend yield of 1.51%, as of January 24. In the past 12 months ending September 2023, the company carried out $7.24 billion worth of share buybacks, which makes DE one of the best dividend stocks with the biggest buyback programs.

At the end of Q3 2023, 55 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey reported having stakes in Deere & Company (NYSE:DE). compared with 56 in the previous quarter. The overall value of these stakes is more than $3.07 billion. With roughly 4 million shares, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q3.

9. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY)

Stock Buybacks in 12 Months Through September 2023: $7.57 Billion

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) is a global pharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery, development, and manufacturing of biopharmaceutical products. The company pays a quarterly dividend of $0.60 per share, having raised it by 5.3% in December 2023. This marked its 18th consecutive year of dividend growth. The stock has a dividend yield of 4.76%, as of January 24. It is one of the best dividend stocks with the biggest buybacks on our list.

Insider Monkey’s database of Q3 2023 showed that 65 hedge funds owned stakes in Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY), compared with 66 in the previous quarter. These stakes have a collective value of over $1.8 billion. Among these hedge funds, Two Sigma Advisors was the company’s leading stakeholder in Q3.

Madison Investments mentioned Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) in its Q3 2023 investor letter. Here is what the firm has to say:

“During the quarter, we sold our positions in Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) and The Walt Disney Company. We added Texas Instruments as a new position. Bristol-Myers has been dealing with the loss of exclusivity for Revlimid, one of its key products. Although the company is launching new drugs in melanoma, heart failure, and psoriasis it will need additional products to offset the lower revenue in Revlimid.”

8. JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM)

Stock Buybacks in 12 Months Through September 2023: $7.6 Billion

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) is next on our list of the best dividend stocks with the biggest buyback programs in the 12-month period ending September 2023. The American financial services company currently offers a quarterly dividend of $1.05 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.48%, as of January 24. In the most recent quarter, the company returned $3.1 billion to shareholders through dividends.

As of the close of Q3 2023, 109 hedge funds in Insider Monkey’s database owned stakes in JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM), growing from 106 in the preceding quarter. These stakes have a consolidated value of over $6.6 billion.

Vltava Fund mentioned JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) in its Q4 2023 investor letter. Here is what the firm has to say:

“Last spring, the US went through a brief banking crisis that cost several smaller and medium-sized banks their lives. One of them, First Republic Bank, with assets of $230 billion, went into receivership and was bought out by the largest US bank, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM). The acquisition terms were very favourable for JPM and the facts that few, if any, other banks could have taken over the whole of First Republic Bank in its then-present state while guaranteeing more than $100 billion of its deposits played a role. JPM could do it. It is not only the largest, but also by its balance sheet the strongest US bank and, in our opinion, clearly the best managed. It has come out of this crisis even stronger. We have actively followed the banking sector for 20 years in many countries around the world. Our view is that a well-managed bank can be a very good long-term investment but that it is better to focus on the best and highest quality available. Banking is not a sector where it pays to trade quality for cheaper valuations. That is why we hold JPM.”

7. Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA)

Stock Buybacks in 12 Months Through September 2023: $9.7 Billion

Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) is a global technology company that operates in the financial services industry, specializing in payment solutions. The company is a major player in the payment processing industry. On December 6, 2023, it declared a 16% increase in its quarterly dividend to $0.66 per share. Through this hike, the company achieved its 11th consecutive year of dividend growth. In addition to this, the board has given its approval for a fresh $11 billion share repurchase initiative, which makes MSFT one of the best dividend stocks with the biggest buyback programs. This program is set to take effect upon the conclusion of the company’s previously disclosed $9 billion repurchase program.

As of the end of September 2023, 140 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey reported having stakes in Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA), compared with 139 in the preceding quarter. These stakes are collectively valued at over $15.2 billion.

6. Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA)

Stock Buybacks in 12 Months Through September 2023: $11.2 Billion

Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) ranks sixth on our list of the best dividend stocks with the biggest buyback programs. The American multinational telecommunications company carried out share buybacks worth over $11.2 billion. It has been growing its dividends for the past 15 consecutive years and offers a quarterly dividend of $0.29 per share. The stock’s dividend yield on January 24 came in at 2.64%.

The number of hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey owning stakes in Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) grew to 68 in Q3 2023, from 66 in the previous quarter. The total value of these stakes is over $3.6 billion. First Eagle Investment Management held nearly 40 million CMCSA shares in the third quarter, becoming the company’s largest stakeholder.

Click to continue reading and see 5 Dividend Stocks with the Biggest Buyback Programs.

AI, Tariffs, Nuclear Power: One Undervalued Stock Connects ALL the Dots (Before It Explodes!)

Published on June 23, 2025 at by Inan Dogan, PhD

Artificial intelligence is the greatest investment opportunity of our lifetime. The time to invest in groundbreaking AI is now, and this stock is a steal!

AI is eating the world—and the machines behind it are ravenous.

Each ChatGPT query, each model update, each robotic breakthrough consumes massive amounts of energy. In fact, AI is already pushing global power grids to the brink.

Wall Street is pouring hundreds of billions into artificial intelligence—training smarter chatbots, automating industries, and building the digital future. But there’s one urgent question few are asking:

Where will all of that energy come from?

AI is the most electricity-hungry technology ever invented. Each data center powering large language models like ChatGPT consumes as much energy as a small city. And it’s about to get worse.

Even Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, issued a stark warning:

“The future of AI depends on an energy breakthrough.”

Elon Musk was even more blunt:

“AI will run out of electricity by next year.”

As the world chases faster, smarter machines, a hidden crisis is emerging behind the scenes. Power grids are strained. Electricity prices are rising. Utilities are scrambling to expand capacity.

And that’s where the real opportunity lies…

One little-known company—almost entirely overlooked by most AI investors—could be the ultimate backdoor play. It’s not a chipmaker. It’s not a cloud platform. But it might be the most important AI stock in the US owns critical energy infrastructure assets positioned to feed the coming AI energy spike.

As demand from AI data centers explodes, this company is gearing up to profit from the most valuable commodity in the digital age: electricity.

The “Toll Booth” Operator of the AI Energy Boom

It owns critical nuclear energy infrastructure assets, positioning it at the heart of America’s next-generation power strategy.
It’s one of the only global companies capable of executing large-scale, complex EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) projects across oil, gas, renewable fuels, and industrial infrastructure.
It plays a pivotal role in U.S. LNG exportation—a sector about to explode under President Trump’s renewed “America First” energy doctrine.

Trump has made it clear: Europe and U.S. allies must buy American LNG.

And our company sits in the toll booth—collecting fees on every drop exported.

But that’s not all…

As Trump’s proposed tariffs push American manufacturers to bring their operations back home, this company will be first in line to rebuild, retrofit, and reengineer those facilities.

AI. Energy. Tariffs. Onshoring. This One Company Ties It All Together.

While the world is distracted by flashy AI tickers, a few smart investors are quietly scooping up shares of the one company powering it all from behind the scenes.

AI needs energy. Energy needs infrastructure.

And infrastructure needs a builder with experience, scale, and execution.

This company has its finger in every pie—and Wall Street is just starting to notice.

Wall Street is noticing this company also because it is quietly riding all of these tailwinds—without the sky-high valuation.

While most energy and utility firms are buried under mountains of debt and coughing up hefty interest payments just to appease bondholders…

This company is completely debt-free.

In fact, it’s sitting on a war chest of cash—equal to nearly one-third of its entire market cap.

It also owns a huge equity stake in another red-hot AI play, giving investors indirect exposure to multiple AI growth engines without paying a premium.

And here’s what the smart money has started whispering…

The Hedge Fund Secret That’s Starting to Leak Out

This stock is so off-the-radar, so absurdly undervalued, that some of the most secretive hedge fund managers in the world have begun pitching it at closed-door investment summits.

They’re sharing it quietly, away from the cameras, to rooms full of ultra-wealthy clients.

Why? Because excluding cash and investments, this company is trading at less than 7 times earnings.

And that’s for a business tied to:

The AI infrastructure supercycle
The onshoring boom driven by Trump-era tariffs
A surge in U.S. LNG exports
And a unique footprint in nuclear energy—the future of clean, reliable power

You simply won’t find another AI and energy stock this cheap… with this much upside.

This isn’t a hype stock. It’s not riding on hope.

It’s delivering real cash flows, owns critical infrastructure, and holds stakes in other major growth stories.

This is your chance to get in before the rockets take off!

Disruption is the New Name of the Game: Let’s face it, complacency breeds stagnation.

AI is the ultimate disruptor, and it’s shaking the foundations of traditional industries.

The companies that embrace AI will thrive, while the dinosaurs clinging to outdated methods will be left in the dust.

As an investor, you want to be on the side of the winners, and AI is the winning ticket.

The Talent Pool is Overflowing: The world’s brightest minds are flocking to AI.

From computer scientists to mathematicians, the next generation of innovators is pouring its energy into this field.

This influx of talent guarantees a constant stream of groundbreaking ideas and rapid advancements.

By investing in AI, you’re essentially backing the future.

The future is powered by artificial intelligence, and the time to invest is NOW.

Don’t be a spectator in this technological revolution.

Dive into the AI gold rush and watch your portfolio soar alongside the brightest minds of our generation.

This isn’t just about making money – it’s about being part of the future.

So, buckle up and get ready for the ride of your investment life!

Act Now and Unlock a Potential 100+% Return within 12 to 24 months.

We’re now offering month-to-month subscriptions with no commitments.

For a ridiculously low price of just $9.99 per month, you can unlock our in-depth investment research and exclusive insights – that’s less than a single fast food meal!

Here’s why this is a deal you can’t afford to pass up:

Access to our Detailed Report on our AI, Tariffs, and Nuclear Energy Stock with 100+% potential upside within 12 to 24 months
BONUS REPORT on our #1 AI-Robotics Stock with 10000% upside potential: Our in-depth report dives deep into our #1 AI/robotics stock’s groundbreaking technology and massive growth potential.
One New Issue of Our Premium Readership Newsletter: You will also receive one new issue per month and at least one new stock pick per month from our monthly newsletter’s portfolio over the next 12 months. These stocks are handpicked by our research director, Dr. Inan Dogan.
One free upcoming issue of our 70+ page Quarterly Newsletter: A value of $149
Bonus Content: Premium access to members-only fund manager video interviews
Ad-Free Browsing: Enjoy a month of investment research free from distracting banner and pop-up ads, allowing you to focus on uncovering the next big opportunity.
Lifetime Price Guarantee: Your renewal rate will always remain the same as long as your subscription is active.
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee: If you’re not absolutely satisfied with our service, we’ll provide a full refund within 30 days, no questions asked.

Space is Limited! Only 1000 spots are available for this exclusive offer. Don’t let this chance slip away – subscribe to our Premium Readership Newsletter today and unlock the potential for a life-changing investment.

Here’s what to do next:

1. Head over to our website and subscribe to our Premium Readership Newsletter for just $9.99.

2. Enjoy a month of ad-free browsing, exclusive access to our in-depth report on the Trump tariff and nuclear energy company as well as the revolutionary AI-robotics company, and the upcoming issues of our Premium Readership Newsletter.

3. Sit back, relax, and know that you’re backed by our ironclad 30-day money-back guarantee.

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! Subscribe now and take control of your AI investment future!

Subscribe Now!

No worries about auto-renewals! Our 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee applies whether you’re joining us for the first time or renewing your subscription a month later!

Insider Monkey Ads

A New Dawn is Coming to U.S. Stocks

Published on June 13, 2025 at by Insider Monkey Staff

I work for one of the largest independent financial publishers in the world – representing over 1 million people in 148 countries.

We’re independently funding today’s broadcast to address something on the mind of every investor in America right now…

Should I put my money in Artificial Intelligence?

Here to answer that for us… and give away his No. 1 free AI recommendation… is 50-year Wall Street titan, Marc Chaikin.

Marc’s been a trader, stockbroker, and analyst. He was the head of the options department at a major brokerage firm and is a sought-after expert for CNBC, Fox Business, Barron’s, and Yahoo! Finance…

But what Marc’s most known for is his award-winning stock-rating system. Which determines whether a stock could shoot sky-high in the next three to six months… or come crashing down.

That’s why Marc’s work appears in every Bloomberg and Reuters terminal on the planet…

And is still used by hundreds of banks, hedge funds, and brokerages to track the billions of dollars flowing in and out of stocks each day.

He’s used this system to survive nine bear markets… create three new indices for the Nasdaq… and even predict the brutal bear market of 2022, 90 days in advance.

Click to continue reading…

Insider Monkey Ads

Markets

Insider Trading

Hedge Funds

Retirement

Opinion

Log In

Sign Up