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 |
Syntax
=hf_Repurchase_of_capital_stock(Symbol, Year, [Quarter], [TTM])Parameters
Stock ticker symbol
Fiscal year (e.g., 2023) or period code (lq, lq-1, ly, ly-1, lt, lt-1)
Calendar quarter (1-4)
Set to 'TTM' for trailing twelve months
Returns
Cash used for stock repurchases (in currency units, typically negative)
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
Why is this value negative?
Buybacks are cash outflows, so they're shown as negative numbers. A larger negative number means more aggressive buyback activity.
How do I calculate total shareholder return?
Total return = Dividends + Buybacks (both as positive numbers). Compare to net income or free cash flow to assess sustainability.
Why do companies buy back stock instead of paying dividends?
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.
Related Formulas
More MarketXLS Historical Fundamentals formulas you can use in the same worksheet:
- Research & Development Expense As Percentage Of Revenue (Historical)
- Research And Development Expense As Percentage Of Revenue (Historical)
- Restricted Cash (Historical)
- Retun On Invested Capital (ROIC - Historical)
- Return Equity Indicator (Historical)
- Return On Average Assets (ROA - Historical)
- Return On Average Equity (ROE - Historical)
- Return On Sales (Historical)
See hf_Repurchase_of_capital_stock used in a complete workbook: Shareholder Yield Screener Excel: Total Cash Return Dashboard for June 2026
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