Electronic Arts (EA) Stock Buyback History
TTM buyback yield 2.31% · Shareholder yield (TTM) 2.31%.
TTM buyback yield
2.31%
Shareholder yield (TTM)
2.31%
5Y share count change
-13.4%
TTM buyback spend
$1.18B
SBC coverage (TTM)
1.79x
YoY change in spend
-57.7%
5Y CAGR of spend
+7.8%
Peak year (2025)
$2.51B
Cumulative spend
$14.70B
TTM metrics calculated from the four most recent reported quarters, ending (reported ).
Key takeaways
- Electronic Arts (EA) repurchased about $1.18B of stock over the trailing twelve months.
- Diluted share count is down 13.4% over the last ~5 fiscal years — buybacks are net-shrinking the share base.
- TTM buyback ÷ stock-based-comp ratio of 1.79× — repurchases more than cover SBC dilution.
- Cash buyback spend has compounded at +7.8% per year over the latest 5-year window.
- TTM repurchases used about 55% of free cash flow remaining after dividends.
Buyback context per fiscal year
Annual repurchases alongside stock-based compensation, diluted share count and the year-over-year change — useful for SBC-coverage and dilution-offset reading at a glance.
| Year | Buybacks | SBC | Net | Shares (dil.) | YoY shares | Buyback yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $1.06B | $656.00M | $404.00M | 0.25B | -4.2% | 2.08% |
| 2025 | $2.51B | $642.00M | $1.87B | 0.26B | -2.9% | 6.62% |
| 2024 | $1.30B | $584.00M | $716.00M | 0.27B | -2.2% | 3.65% |
| 2023 | $1.29B | $548.00M | $747.00M | 0.28B | -2.8% | 3.92% |
| 2022 | $1.30B | $528.00M | $772.00M | 0.29B | -2.1% | 3.66% |
| 2021 | $729.00M | $435.00M | $294.00M | 0.29B | -1.0% | 1.87% |
| 2020 | $1.21B | $347.00M | $860.00M | 0.29B | -3.6% | 4.16% |
| 2019 | $1.19B | $284.00M | $908.00M | 0.31B | -1.9% | 3.88% |
| 2018 | $601.00M | $242.00M | $359.00M | 0.31B | -0.6% | 1.61% |
| 2017 | $508.00M | $196.00M | $312.00M | 0.31B | -4.8% | 1.84% |
| 2016 | $1.02B | $178.00M | $840.00M | 0.33B | 1.5% | 5.02% |
| 2015 | $337.00M | $144.00M | $193.00M | 0.33B | 2.8% | 1.85% |
| 2014 | $0.00 | $150.00M | −$150.00M | 0.32B | 1.0% | — |
| 2013 | $349.00M | $164.00M | $185.00M | 0.31B | -6.8% | 6.47% |
| 2012 | $471.00M | $170.00M | $301.00M | 0.34B | 1.8% | 9.01% |
| 2011 | $58.00M | $176.00M | −$118.00M | 0.33B | 1.5% | 0.90% |
| 2010 | $0.00 | $187.00M | −$187.00M | 0.33B | 1.6% | — |
| 2009 | $0.00 | $203.00M | −$203.00M | 0.32B | 1.9% | — |
| 2008 | $0.00 | $150.00M | −$150.00M | 0.31B | -0.9% | — |
| 2007 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.32B | 1.0% | — |
| 2006 | $709.00M | $3.00M | $706.00M | 0.31B | -1.3% | 4.26% |
| 2005 | $41.00M | $6.00M | $35.00M | 0.32B | 3.2% | 0.26% |
| 2004 | $225.00K | $0.00 | $225.00K | 0.31B | 5.1% | 0.00% |
| 2003 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.29B | 2.3% | — |
| 2002 | $11.92M | $0.00 | $11.92M | 0.29B | 3.7% | 0.14% |
| 2001 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.28B | 4.0% | — |
| 2000 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.27B | 4.9% | — |
| 1999 | $9.00M | $0.00 | $9.00M | 0.25B | 3.8% | — |
| 1998 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.24B | 2.2% | — |
| 1997 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.24B | — | — |
| 1996 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | — | — | — |
| 1995 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | — | — | — |
| 1994 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | — | — | — |
| 1993 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | — | — | — |
| 1992 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | — | — | — |
| 1991 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | — | — | — |
| 1990 | $700.00K | $0.00 | $700.00K | — | — | — |
Cash buyback spend (USD) — annual & quarterly history
Trailing-twelve-month and per-period cash repurchases for Electronic Arts (EA) from the consolidated cash flow statement (line: common stock repurchased), in USD as filed.
Cash buyback spend over time for Electronic Arts (EA)
Per-period cash repurchases
Cash buyback spend annual + quarterly history for Electronic Arts (EA)
| Fiscal year | Period ended | Reported | Buyback Spend | YoY | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $1.06B | -57.7% | -$1.45B | ||
| 2025 | $2.51B | +92.9% | +$1.21B | ||
| 2024 | $1.30B | +0.4% | +$5.00M | ||
| 2023 | $1.29B | -0.4% | -$5.00M | ||
| 2022 | $1.30B | +78.3% | +$571.00M | ||
| 2021 | $729.00M | -39.6% | -$478.00M | ||
| 2020 | $1.21B | +1.3% | +$15.00M | ||
| 2019 | $1.19B | +98.3% | +$591.00M | ||
| 2018 | $601.00M | +18.3% | +$93.00M | ||
| 2017 | $508.00M | -50.1% | -$510.00M | ||
| 2016 | $1.02B | +202.1% | +$681.00M | ||
| 2015 | $337.00M | — | +$337.00M | ||
| 2014 | $0 | -100.0% | -$349.00M | ||
| 2013 | $349.00M | -25.9% | -$122.00M | ||
| 2012 | $471.00M | +712.1% | +$413.00M | ||
| 2011 | $58.00M | — | +$58.00M | ||
| 2010 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 2009 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 2008 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 2007 | $0 | -100.0% | -$709.00M | ||
| 2006 | $709.00M | +1629.3% | +$668.00M | ||
| 2005 | $41.00M | +18122.2% | +$40.77M | ||
| 2004 | $225,000 | — | +$225,000 | ||
| 2003 | $0 | -100.0% | -$11.92M | ||
| 2002 | $11.92M | — | +$11.92M | ||
| 2001 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 2000 | $0 | -100.0% | -$9.00M | ||
| 1999 | $9.00M | — | +$9.00M | ||
| 1998 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 1997 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 1996 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 1995 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 1994 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 1993 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 1992 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 1991 | $0 | -100.0% | -$700,000 | ||
| 1990 | $700,000 | — | — |
2026's annual buyback spend for Electronic Arts (EA) came in at $1.06B – plunged 57.7% year-over-year.
Looking at the 2021–2026 (5 years) stretch, Electronic Arts buyback spend compounded at +7.8% per year, with the latest reading among the more recent periods of the dataset.
Electronic Arts buyback spend peaked at $2.51B in 2025; the latest annual figure is $1.06B in 2026 (57.7% below peak).
Across the available history, buyback spend reached its high of $2.51B in 2025 and its low of $0 in 1991.
Electronic Arts (EA) sits 7th of 8 Communication Services peers we track on this metric, against a peer median of $6.81B.
Electronic Arts Buyback Spend 2026: $1.06B
Electronic Arts buyback spend in 2026 was $1.06B, plunged 57.7% below 2025.
Electronic Arts Buyback Spend 2025: $2.51B
Electronic Arts buyback spend in 2025 was $2.51B, surged 92.9% from 2024. This figure represents the highest annual value in the available history.
Electronic Arts Buyback Spend 2024: $1.30B
Electronic Arts buyback spend in 2024 was $1.30B, edged up 0.4% from 2023.
Electronic Arts Buyback Spend 2023: $1.29B
Electronic Arts buyback spend in 2023 was $1.29B, edged down 0.4% below 2022.
Electronic Arts Buyback Spend 2022: $1.30B
Electronic Arts buyback spend in 2022 was $1.30B.
See more financial history for Electronic Arts (EA).
Sector peers by buyback spend
Companies in the same sector as Electronic Arts, ranked by their latest buyback spend.
| Company | Buyback Spend | Sector |
|---|---|---|
| Alphabet (GOOGL) | $45.71B | Communication Services |
| Meta (META) | $26.25B | Communication Services |
| T-Mobile US (TMUS) | $9.97B | Communication Services |
| Netflix (NFLX) | $9.13B | Communication Services |
| AT&T (T) | $4.50B | Communication Services |
| Walt Disney (DIS) | $3.50B | Communication Services |
| Spotify (SPOT) | $439.00M | Communication Services |
| Verizon (VZ) | $0 | Communication Services |
Share count history
Diluted weighted-average shares drive the EPS denominator and per-share capital-return maths. A falling diluted share count means buybacks are outpacing dilution from stock-based compensation and option exercises.
Diluted vs basic shares (annual)
Year-over-year change in diluted shares
Green is fewer shares vs the prior fiscal year (net repurchase); red is growth (dilution). The earliest year shown has no prior year to compare.
Dividend & buyback yield over time
Stacked annual yields — buyback yield (TTM cash repurchases ÷ market cap) plus dividend yield from the same fiscal-year-end key-metrics period — show how total cash return per dollar of equity has evolved.
Buybacks vs stock-based compensation
Annual cash repurchases set against stock-based compensation. Coverage above 1× means buybacks fully offset the equity dilution from SBC. TTM coverage: 1.79×.
Capital allocation mix
How Electronic Arts splits cash returned to shareholders between dividends and buybacks, plus the headroom on free cash flow that's still available for additional repurchases.
Buybacks vs dividends (share of cash returned)
Buyback capacity (TTM)
Free cash flow minus dividends paid versus actual TTM repurchases — the headroom bar shows how much of post-dividend FCF is still being deployed elsewhere.
Headroom $2.13B (TTM FCF − TTM dividends, clamped at zero).
Data & methodology
Where do buyback, dividend and compensation figures come from?
Cash buyback spend (common stock repurchased), dividends paid and stock-based compensation come from Electronic Arts's consolidated cash flow statements — quarterly 10-Q and annual 10-K SEC filings, in USD as reported.
How are diluted shares and yields calculated?
Diluted weighted-average share counts come from the income statement (EPS denominator). Trailing twelve-month (TTM) aggregates sum the four most recent reported quarters. Buyback and dividend yields divide TTM cash flows by market capitalisation at the latest quarter-end.
How is buyback capacity defined?
Capacity compares TTM repurchases to free cash flow after dividends: operating cash flow minus capital expenditure, minus dividends paid, versus actual buybacks over the same trailing window.
Is this investment advice?
No. Figures are for informational and educational use only. Past buybacks and dividends do not predict future returns.
Frequently asked questions
Does Electronic Arts buy back its own stock?
Yes, Electronic Arts (EA) has repurchased shares in recent periods. See the history table and charts on this page for amounts and trends.
How much does Electronic Arts spend on share buybacks?
Trailing twelve months (TTM) buyback spend is about $1.18B (sum of the last four quarterly cash-flow periods in our data). Figures are illustrative; verify in filings.
What is Electronic Arts's buyback yield?
TTM buyback yield is about 2.31% (TTM buyback spend divided by market cap at the latest quarter-end in our data).
What is Electronic Arts's shareholder yield?
Shareholder yield combines dividend yield and buyback yield. For the latest period we show approximately 2.31% combined (TTM-based where available).
Is Electronic Arts diluting shareholders?
Compare stock-based compensation (SBC) to buybacks in the chart above. Net effect varies by year; see annual buyback vs SBC bars and the history table.
How has Electronic Arts's share count changed?
Diluted weighted average shares changed by about -13.4% over roughly five fiscal years (annual income statement data).
What is Electronic Arts's buyback spend?
Latest reported buyback spend for Electronic Arts (EA) is $1.18B (period ending March 31, 2026).
How has Electronic Arts buyback spend changed year-over-year?
Electronic Arts (EA) buyback spend changed -57.7% year-over-year on the latest annual filing.
What is the long-term growth rate of Electronic Arts buyback spend?
Electronic Arts (EA) buyback spend compound annual growth rate is +7.8% over the most recent 5 years available.
When did Electronic Arts buyback spend hit its highest annual value?
Electronic Arts buyback spend reached its highest annual value of $2.51B in 2025.
What was Electronic Arts buyback spend in 2025?
Electronic Arts (EA) buyback spend in 2025 was $2.51B.
What was Electronic Arts buyback spend in 2026?
Electronic Arts (EA) buyback spend in 2026 was $1.06B.
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