In the last decade, Abbott Laboratories (ABT) has returned $39 Bil back to its shareholders through cold, hard cash via dividends and buybacks. Let's look at some numbers and compare how this payout power stacks up against the market's biggest capital-return machines.As it turns out, ABT has returned the 74th highest amount to shareholders in history.
ABTS&P MedianDividends$27 Bil$4.5 BilShare Repurchase$13 Bil$5.5 BilTotal Returned$39 Bil$9.1 BilTotal Returned as % of Current Market Cap17.4%25.1%
Why should you care? Because dividends and share repurchases represent direct, tangible returns of capital to shareholders. They also signal management's confidence in the company's financial health and ability to generate sustainable cash flows.
And there are more companies like that. Below is a list of top 10 companies ranked by total capital returned to share holders via dividends and stock repurchases.
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