S&P 500 Q4 2024 Buybacks Increase 7.4% and 2024 Expenditure Sets New Record by Increasing 18.5%; Earnings Per Share Increases from Buybacks Decline for the Quarter, as Q1 2025's Impact is Expected to Increase

S&P 500 Q4 2024 buybacks were $243.2 billion, up 7.4$226.6 billion and up 11.0% from Q4 2023's $219.1 billion The 2024 expenditure set an annual record of$942.5 billion and was up 18.5% from the 2023 expenditure of $795.2 billion  Consumer Staples increased spending by 97.9% as Financials and Communication Services reduced their spending by 4.4% and 14.0%, respectively  The net buyback 1% tax reduced Q4 2024 operating earnings by 0.37% and As Reported GAAP by 0.39%, as the year is 0.44% a ...