The Day In Stock Buybacks (SMTC, ASI, EQR, DFS, LCUT, IBM, CPT)

Investing

Published: December 3, 2007 5:59 pm

Semtech (NASDAQ:SMTC) has purchased a total of 9,836,066 shares of its common stock for an aggregate price of $169.4 million under an accelerated buyback plan; it intends to resume purchasing shares of its common stock under its existing stock repurchase program, under which approximately $50.3 million of remaining authority exists.

CMGI Inc. (NASDAQ:CMGI) noted along with its earnings that it had spent $8 million over the last quarter of its $50 million share buyback plan.

American Safety Insurance Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:ASI) has approved a buyback program for up to 500,000 shares of common stock. This is only about $9.5 million at current prices, and the company’s market cap is $204 million.

Equity Residential (NYSE: EQR) has authorized an additional $500 million to be used in its share repurchase program. Since the beginning of 2007, the company has repurchased and retired 26,694,346 of its common shares at an average price of $44.88 per share for an aggregate purchase of approximately $1.2 billion. Approximately $3.8 million currently remains available under the $500 million program previously announced.

Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) will record a non-cash impairment charge related to its Goldfish MasterCard and Visa credit card business in the United Kingdom in the quarter ending Nov. 30, 2007 estimated as approximated $422 million in goodwill writedowns. Separately, the company has approved a share repurchase program for up to $1 billion of its common stock through November 30, 2010.

Lifetime Brands, Inc. (Nasdaq: LCUT) will close 30 underperforming outlet stores and its Board of Directors authorized an increase in the amount of its stock repurchase program to $40 million from $20 million. Its market cap is $164 million.

IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced that it plans to repurchase up to $1 billion of its outstanding common stock in open market transactions by the end of February 2008 rather than its original plans for March and April of 2008, are in addition to a $12.5 billion accelerated share repurchase announced earlier this year.

Camden Property Trust (NYSE:CPT) updated progress made on its stock repurchase program: During November 2007, Camden repurchased 1.6 million common shares at an average price per share of $52.03, for a total of $81.9 million. Year-to-date, Camden has now repurchased 2.9 million shares of common stock at an average price per share of $57.60, for a total of $168.4 million.

Jon C. Ogg
December 3, 2007

Credit Card Companies Are Doing Something Nuts

Credit card companies are at war. The biggest issuers are handing out free rewards and benefits to win the best customers.

It’s possible to find cards paying unlimited 1.5%, 2%, and even more today. That’s free money for qualified borrowers, and the type of thing that would be crazy to pass up. Those rewards can add up to thousands of dollars every year in free money, and include other benefits as well.

We’ve assembled some of the best credit cards for users today. Don’t miss these offers because they won’t be this good forever.

Flywheel Publishing has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Flywheel Publishing and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.