3 Stocks Kicking Off the New Year with Major Buyback Plans

GE Vernova (NYSE: GEV)

• Major Announcement: GE Vernova approved a $6 billion share buyback, equivalent to nearly 7% of its market capitalization.
• Performance: Shares soared 152% in 2024 after its spin-off from General Electric.
• Dividend Initiation: Declared its first dividend of $0.25 per share, with a 0.3% yield—a promising sign for income-focused investors.
• Growth Outlook: Recently signed contracts to power data centers with natural gas turbines, sparking optimism among investors.
• Analyst Sentiment: Wall Street analysts are bullish, consistently raising price targets following positive news and earnings.

Match Group (NASDAQ: MTCH)

• Buyback Announcement: Authorized a $1.5 billion share buyback, equal to 18% of its market cap.
• Dividend News: Introduced a $0.19 per share quarterly dividend, translating to a 2.3% annualized yield.
• Performance: Shares dropped 10% in 2024, contrasting with GE Vernova's growth.
• Turnaround Strategy: Leveraging AI to improve user experiences on dating apps, including chatbot features to enhance matches and facilitate real-life connections.
• Revenue Challenges: Revenue grew less than 2% last quarter, but the company aims for a turnaround through innovation.

Olin (NYSE: OLN)

• Buyback Program: Expanded share buyback authorization to $2 billion, covering 52% of its $3.9 billion market capitalization.
• Performance: Stock delivered a -38% return in 2024, reflecting challenges in the basic materials sector.
• Investor Day Updates:
  • Focused on cost reductions: Targeting $250 million in structural savings by 2028.
  • Shareholder Returns: Committed to returning over 50% of operating cash flow to investors through 2029.
• Product Line: Produces chlorine, epoxy, and Winchester ammunition, catering to stable markets with 3%-6% annual growth projections.
• Analyst Projections: Citigroup and Barclays forecast 33% upside potential, signaling strong value at current levels.