Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Stock Buyback History
TTM buyback yield N/A.
TTM buyback yield
N/A
Shareholder yield (TTM)
N/A
5Y share count change
273.7%
TTM buyback spend
N/A
SBC coverage (TTM)
0.00x
YoY change in spend
N/A
5Y CAGR of spend
-100.0%
Peak year (2016)
$1.43B
Cumulative spend
$10.30B
TTM metrics calculated from the four most recent reported quarters, ending (reported ).
Key takeaways
- Diluted share count is up 273.7% over the last ~5 fiscal years — equity issuance and stock-based compensation are outpacing repurchases.
- Cash buyback spend has compounded at -100.0% per year over the latest 5-year window.
- TTM repurchases used about 0% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 2.53B | 3.3% | — |
| 2024 | $0.00 | $557.00M | −$557.00M | 2.45B | 0.6% | — |
| 2023 | $0.00 | $500.00M | −$500.00M | 2.44B | 25.6% | — |
| 2022 | $0.00 | $412.00M | −$412.00M | 1.94B | 190.4% | — |
| 2021 | $0.00 | $178.00M | −$178.00M | 0.67B | -1.3% | — |
| 2020 | $969.00M | $110.00M | $859.00M | 0.68B | -5.6% | 6.59% |
| 2019 | $633.00M | $142.00M | $491.00M | 0.72B | 4.2% | 3.67% |
| 2018 | $0.00 | $80.00M | −$80.00M | 0.69B | 19.4% | — |
| 2017 | $603.00M | $39.00M | $564.00M | 0.58B | -5.6% | 7.07% |
| 2016 | $1.43B | $69.00M | $1.36B | 0.61B | -7.0% | 13.28% |
| 2015 | $957.00M | $35.00M | $922.00M | 0.66B | -4.5% | 8.38% |
| 2014 | $1.42B | $78.00M | $1.34B | 0.69B | -4.8% | 9.34% |
| 2013 | $1.30B | $190.00M | $1.11B | 0.72B | -2.7% | 8.66% |
| 2012 | $1.38B | $154.00M | $1.23B | 0.74B | -8.4% | 12.31% |
| 2011 | $997.00M | $99.00M | $898.00M | 0.81B | -5.6% | 12.70% |
| 2010 | $605.00M | $182.00M | $423.00M | 0.86B | 0.9% | 4.94% |
| 2009 | $0.00 | $228.00M | −$228.00M | 0.85B | 32.0% | — |
| 2008 | $0.00 | $66.00M | −$66.00M | 0.64B | 14.6% | — |
| 2007 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.56B | -2.3% | — |
| 2006 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.57B | 2.6% | — |
| 2005 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.56B | 0.0% | — |
| 2004 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.56B | 0.0% | — |
| 2003 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | 0.56B | — | — |
Cash buyback spend (USD) — annual & quarterly history
Trailing-twelve-month and per-period cash repurchases for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) from the consolidated cash flow statement (line: common stock repurchased), in USD as filed.
Cash buyback spend over time for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD)
Per-period cash repurchases
Cash buyback spend annual + quarterly history for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD)
| Fiscal year | Period ended | Reported | Buyback Spend | YoY | YoY change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 2024 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 2023 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 2022 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 2021 | $0 | -100.0% | -$969.00M | ||
| 2020 | $969.00M | +53.1% | +$336.00M | ||
| 2019 | $633.00M | — | +$633.00M | ||
| 2018 | $0 | -100.0% | -$603.00M | ||
| 2017 | $603.00M | -57.9% | -$828.00M | ||
| 2016 | $1.43B | +49.5% | +$474.00M | ||
| 2015 | $957.00M | -32.7% | -$465.00M | ||
| 2014 | $1.42B | +9.0% | +$117.00M | ||
| 2013 | $1.30B | -5.4% | -$75.00M | ||
| 2012 | $1.38B | +38.4% | +$383.00M | ||
| 2011 | $997.00M | +64.8% | +$392.00M | ||
| 2010 | $605.00M | — | +$605.00M | ||
| 2009 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 2008 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 2007 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 2006 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 2005 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 2004 | $0 | — | $0 | ||
| 2003 | $0 | — | — |
In 2025, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) buyback spend totalled $0.
Warner Bros. Discovery buyback spend has contracted on net over the period, with a -100.0% compound annual growth rate over 2020–2025 (5 years).
Warner Bros. Discovery buyback spend plunged from $1.43B in 2016 to $0 in 2025, a 100.0% drawdown.
$1.43B stands as the all-time-high annual buyback spend, posted in 2016, against a low of $0 during 2003.
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) sits 8th of 8 Communication Services peers we track on this metric, against a peer median of $6.81B.
Warner Bros. Discovery Buyback Spend 2025: $0
Warner Bros. Discovery buyback spend in 2025 was $0.
Warner Bros. Discovery Buyback Spend 2024: $0
Warner Bros. Discovery buyback spend in 2024 was $0.
Warner Bros. Discovery Buyback Spend 2023: $0
Warner Bros. Discovery buyback spend in 2023 was $0.
Warner Bros. Discovery Buyback Spend 2022: $0
Warner Bros. Discovery buyback spend in 2022 was $0.
Warner Bros. Discovery Buyback Spend 2021: $0
Warner Bros. Discovery buyback spend in 2021 was $0.
See more financial history for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD).
Sector peers by buyback spend
Companies in the same sector as Warner Bros. Discovery, 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: 0.00×.
Capital allocation mix
How Warner Bros. Discovery 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 $2.31B (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 Warner Bros. Discovery'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 Warner Bros. Discovery buy back its own stock?
Yes, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has repurchased shares in recent periods. See the history table and charts on this page for amounts and trends.
Is Warner Bros. Discovery 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 Warner Bros. Discovery's share count changed?
Diluted weighted average shares changed by about 273.7% over roughly five fiscal years (annual income statement data).
What is Warner Bros. Discovery's buyback spend?
Latest reported buyback spend for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is $0 (period ending March 31, 2026).
What is the long-term growth rate of Warner Bros. Discovery buyback spend?
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) buyback spend compound annual growth rate is -100.0% over the most recent 5 years available.
When did Warner Bros. Discovery buyback spend hit its highest annual value?
Warner Bros. Discovery buyback spend reached its highest annual value of $1.43B in 2016.
What was Warner Bros. Discovery buyback spend in 2024?
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) buyback spend in 2024 was $0.
What was Warner Bros. Discovery buyback spend in 2025?
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) buyback spend in 2025 was $0.
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