Top names in key areas of the economy are boosting buybacks significantly. Three firms across airplane manufacturing, technology, and oil announced more than $10 billion in repurchase authorizations. These names are not only showing confidence through their capital return plans but also backing it up with strong financials and guidance.
Airbus Provides Robust Multi-Year Outlook, Ups Buyback Capacity by More Than $5B
First up is one of the world’s giants in commercial aircraft manufacturing, Airbus (OTCMKTS: EADSF). The stock took a significant hit early in 2026, dropping almost 30% from January through March. However, Airbus shares have staged a big-time recovery, now up moderately for the year.
Airbus recently updated its long-term outlook, jolting its share price. The company said it is now targeting adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of between 12 billion euros and 13 billion euros in 2029 (approx. $14.6 billion to $15.9 billion USD). This compares to Airbus’s 2025 adjusted EBIT of $8.4 billion. In turn, the company’s midpoint guidance implies a solid compound annual growth rate of around 16%.
Additionally, Airbus announced a €5 billion (approx. $5.8 billion) buyback program. This program is moderately sized, equal to around 3.1% of the firm’s market capitalization. The plan also lasts for only three years, indicating that Airbus plans to spend significantly over that period.
Overall, Airbus just sent investors not one, but two strongly positive signals going forward. Investors should monitor whether Airbus’s adjusted EBIT grows near its 16% implied rate over the coming years.
Jabil Soars on Data Center Boom, Adds Substantial Buyback Capacity
Tech company Jabil (NYSE: JBL) has posted very impressive returns as of late, rising about 59% in 2025 and more than 35% in 2026 so far. The data center buildout has been an important growth driver for the company, as it provides manufacturing services to other tech firms and hyperscalers. Notably, Jabil said that it won its third hyperscale customer during Q3. The company expects to expand its relationship with this new customer over time, similar to what happened with its second hyperscale customer.
The company’s Intelligent Infrastructure segment is where it primarily captures the data center opportunity. In Q3, Intelligent Infrastructure revenue increased by 21% year-over-year (YOY) to $4.2 billion, accounting for 48% of total sales.
Jabil also indicated it will return significant capital to shareholders, recently authorizing a $1.5 billion buyback program. This is equal to a sizable 4.6% of the company's market capitalization. This program can allow Jabil to continue reducing its share count, which has fallen around 2.4% over the last 12 months, adding a tailwind to per-share metrics. Going forward, the company’s Intelligent Infrastructure growth will be key, with accelerating growth being a strong positive indicator.
Valero Tops Energy Charts, Increases Buyback Capacity to Over $6 Billion
Last up is oil giant Valero Energy (NYSE: VLO). The energy sector as a whole has performed extremely well in 2026, benefiting significantly from soaring oil prices. In fact, energy is by far the best-performing sector of the year so far. The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSEARCA: XLE), a common proxy for the sector’s performance, has delivered a return of more than 30%.
Within energy, Valero has been one of the biggest standouts. Shares have delivered a return above 90%, a top five performance among U.S. large-cap energy stocks. Notably, Valero’s refining segment reported an operating profit of $4.5 billion last quarter, more than triple the $1.3 billion generated in Q2 2025.
Valero also showed confidence in its path forward by announcing a $5 billion share buyback program, bringing its total buyback capacity to $6.4 billion. This capacity is equal to a large 4.9% of Valero’s market capitalization. Valero has used buybacks effectively to add value, generating a return of over 20% on its buybacks over the past decade.
Looking ahead, the trajectory of oil prices will be key to monitor, which could be significantly affected by whether tensions between the United States and Iran worsen or de-escalate. Analysts estimate that traffic flows through the Strait of Hormuz have now recovered to between 30% and 35% of pre-conflict levels.
Analysts Eye Over 40% Gains in Jabil After Recent Tumble
Among this group, Jabil stands out due to the hefty upside that Wall Street analysts are forecasting. The MarketBeat consensus price target on Jabil sits near $454, implying gains of more than 40%. Evidently, analysts see Jabil rocketing past its previous 2026 high near $386, even as shares have recently fallen around 20% from that level.
The article "Large Caps Across Planes, Tech and Oil Announce Over $10 Billion in Buybacks" first appeared on MarketBeat.
