# Stock Buyback Tracker (`gochujang/stock-buyback-tracker`) Actor

Track corporate share repurchase (buyback) announcements from SEC 8-K filings. Returns company name, filing date, repurchase program size (in millions USD), and direct links to SEC EDGAR filings.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/gochujang/stock-buyback-tracker.md
- **Developed by:** [Hojun Lee](https://apify.com/gochujang) (community)
- **Categories:** Business
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $20.00 / 1,000 buyback announcement returneds

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## Stock Buyback Tracker

**Stock Buyback Tracker** monitors **corporate share repurchase program authorizations** from SEC EDGAR 8-K filings — extracting the program size, announcement date, and context snippet from each disclosure. US companies spent $800B+ on buybacks in 2023 alone; this actor delivers those announcements in real time as a direct shareholder return signal.

Buyback announcements typically drive 1–5% stock appreciation on announcement day, and the authorization itself creates a demand floor as companies systematically repurchase shares.

***

### Why use Stock Buyback Tracker?

1. **Shareholder return signal** — A large buyback authorization signals management confidence in the business and commitment to returning capital. Track them as a quality/value factor.
2. **EPS growth without revenue growth** — Buybacks reduce share count, mechanically boosting EPS. Companies with aggressive buyback programs tend to show better EPS growth than peers.
3. **Capital allocation research** — Compare buyback activity to dividend payments and capex to assess a company's capital allocation philosophy. Large buybacks + low debt = financial strength.
4. **Buyback blackout period awareness** — Companies enter "blackout periods" (typically 2-4 weeks before earnings) during which they suspend repurchases. Track buybacks to identify when demand support resumes.
5. **Sector buyback trends** — Tech and financial services dominate buyback volume. Tracking sector-level buyback announcements reveals which industries are generating the most excess cash.

***

### How to use

1. Open the actor on Apify Store and click **Try for free**.
2. Set `daysBack` to define your lookback window.
3. Enable `enrichAmounts` to extract the dollar amount from filing text (recommended).
4. Set `minAmountM` to filter for large programs only.
5. Click **Start**. Results are structured buyback announcement records from SEC 8-K filings.

***

### Input

| Field | Type | Default | Description |
|-------|------|---------|-------------|
| `daysBack` | number | `30` | How far back to search SEC EDGAR 8-K filings |
| `enrichAmounts` | boolean | `true` | Parse filing text to extract buyback program dollar amount |
| `minAmountM` | number | `0` | Minimum authorization size in millions USD (0 = no filter) |
| `searchTerm` | string | `""` | Filter by company name (e.g. `"Apple"`, `"Microsoft"`) |
| `maxResults` | number | `50` | Maximum records to return |

***

### Output

```json
{
  "company": "Apple Inc.",
  "form_type": "8-K",
  "items": "8.01",
  "filed_date": "2026-05-02",
  "buyback_amount_m": 110000,
  "context_snippet": "...authorized the purchase of up to $110 billion of the Company's common stock...",
  "accession_no": "0000320193-26-000134",
  "filing_url": "https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/320193/..."
}
```

```json
{
  "company": "JPMorgan Chase & Co.",
  "form_type": "8-K",
  "items": "7.01, 8.01",
  "filed_date": "2026-07-15",
  "buyback_amount_m": 30000,
  "context_snippet": "...repurchase up to $30 billion of its common stock under a new share repurchase program...",
  "accession_no": "0000019617-26-000234",
  "filing_url": "https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/19617/..."
}
```

#### Output fields

| Field | Type | Description |
|-------|------|-------------|
| `company` | string | Company name from SEC EDGAR |
| `form_type` | string | Always `8-K` for buyback announcements |
| `items` | string | 8-K item codes triggering the filing |
| `filed_date` | string | Filing date (YYYY-MM-DD) |
| `buyback_amount_m` | float | Authorization amount in millions USD (null if not parseable) |
| `context_snippet` | string | Text excerpt containing the buyback disclosure |
| `accession_no` | string | SEC EDGAR accession number |
| `filing_url` | string | Direct link to the SEC 8-K document |

***

### Largest buyback programs historically

| Company | Authorization | Year |
|---------|--------------|------|
| Apple | $110B | 2023 |
| Alphabet | $70B | 2023 |
| Meta | $50B | 2023 |
| Microsoft | $60B | 2021 |
| Berkshire Hathaway | Open-ended | Ongoing |

***

### Cost estimation

**Pay-Per-Event: $0.005 per actor start + $0.02 per buyback announcement returned.**

| Use case | Records | Estimated cost |
|----------|---------|----------------|
| 30-day large buybacks (>$500M) | ~10–25 | $0.20–$0.50/run |
| 30-day all buybacks | ~40–100 | $0.80–$2.00/run |
| Specific company history | ~2–10 | $0.04–$0.20/run |
| Weekly monitoring | ~10–20 | $0.20–$0.40/week |

***

### FAQ

**Does a buyback authorization mean the company will actually buy that amount?**
No — the authorization is a ceiling, not a commitment. Many companies use only part of their authorized program. Actual repurchase activity is disclosed in quarterly 10-Q filings.

**How timely is the data?**
8-K filings for buyback authorizations typically appear within 1-2 days of the board announcement (usually at earnings or analyst days). The actor surfaces them within hours of SEC filing.

**Does it track actual share repurchases, or just authorizations?**
This actor tracks authorization announcements (8-K). Actual repurchase quantities are disclosed in 10-Q quarterly filings — a different data source.

**Can I screen for buybacks alongside insider buying?**
Use this actor for corporate buybacks + combine with a 13D tracker for insider buying signals. Both are positive conviction signals for value investors.

***

### Related actors

- [Activist Investor Tracker](https://apify.com/gochujang/activist-investor-tracker) — Activists often demand buybacks as a value unlock lever
- [M\&A Deals Tracker](https://apify.com/gochujang/ma-deals-tracker) — Companies with large buybacks are sometimes acquisition targets (excess cash signal)
- [Executive Compensation Tracker](https://apify.com/gochujang/executive-compensation-tracker) — Buyback CEOs often have comp tied to EPS — check incentive alignment

### Feedback

If this actor is useful, a quick review helps other value investors find it: [Leave a review on Apify Store](https://apify.com/gochujang/stock-buyback-tracker#reviews)

***

**Keywords:** stock buyback, share repurchase, SEC 8-K, corporate finance, EPS accretion, capital allocation, buyback announcement, EDGAR, value investing, equity reduction, shareholder returns

# Actor input Schema

## `searchTerm` (type: `string`):

Filter by company name or keyword. Leave blank for all recent buybacks.

## `daysBack` (type: `integer`):

Number of days back to search for buyback announcements.

## `enrichAmounts` (type: `boolean`):

Fetch filing documents to extract the repurchase program dollar amount. Slower but more complete.

## `minAmountM` (type: `number`):

Only return buybacks above this amount in millions USD. 0 = no filter (enrichAmounts must be enabled).

## `maxResults` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of buyback announcements to return.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "searchTerm": "",
  "daysBack": 30,
  "enrichAmounts": true,
  "minAmountM": 0,
  "maxResults": 50
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("gochujang/stock-buyback-tracker").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("gochujang/stock-buyback-tracker").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{}' |
apify call gochujang/stock-buyback-tracker --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,gochujang/stock-buyback-tracker"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/6ElhBVeIa5Pw4w1Mo/builds/iCIhDyCT1f7fJWraM/openapi.json