BUY BACK--JUST ANOTHER DESPERATE GIMIC
Short of offering a dividend, the most significant method a successful company can employ to return value to its investors is to use profits not earmarked for growth to buy back shares. This is a sign of rational management... and a successful enterprise.
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Since the 1970's until recently Philip Morris (now Altria) had been doing share buybuybacks.
Their share price hasn't performed to badly over the last 30 years.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=MO&t=my