US corporate stock buybacks hit record $428B

US corporations are authorizing stock buybacks at a record pace in 2026. Buyback authorizations across the Russell 3000 index have surged 36% year-over-year to $428 billion so far this year. This figure is 176% higher than the same period in 2020, and with a historical execution rate of roughly 90%, companies are poised to return massive amounts of capital to shareholders.