Indexology®: Companies buy fewer shares, but issue even less, reducing their share count and pushing up EPS

Companies continue to increase their shareholders’ returns through buybacks and cash dividends. These two expenditures, combined, reached $214.4 billion in the fourth quarter – the second highest level (Q3 2007 holds the record at $233.2 billion) and three times the Q2 2009 Bear market level ($71.8...