US companies are now sitting on a record $1.3 trillion in stock buyback firepowerBuyback authorizations have hit a recor…

US companies are now sitting on a record $1.3 trillion in stock buyback firepower

Buyback authorizations have hit a record $1.305 trillion so far in 2026, up about 13% from $1.151 trillion in all of 2025, per Goldman Sachs

Citadel Securities' count using EventVestor data shows $1.33 trillion authorized by Russell 3000 companies through Sept 29, the most ever at this point in a year

The catch is most of that money has been stuck on the sidelines during earnings blackouts

Goldman says only 12% of S&P 500 companies were in an open buyback window this week, with another 22% exiting blackout by the end of the week

Buyback activity since the start of October has run about 40% below the year to date daily average

And this isn't just paper, S&P 500 companies bought back 15% more stock in the first half of 2026 than a year earlier, with Q2 up 20%

Authorizations aren't guaranteed spending, but the single biggest buyer of US stocks is just getting its window back heading into November, historically the busiest month for buyback executions. That's a lot of quiet support sitting under this market

Source: StockMarket.News