The Price Increase Conundrum: Unraveling the Impact on Brands When Companies Buy Back Stock

Richard A Meyer
2 min readDec 7, 2023

In the dynamic world of corporate finance, companies often employ various strategies to enhance shareholder value and boost stock performance. One such tactic recently gaining attention is using price increases to fund stock buybacks. While this approach may seem financially savvy, its impact on a company’s brand is a complex interplay of economics, consumer perception, and long-term sustainability.

The Stock Buyback Phenomenon:

Stock buybacks, or share repurchases, involve a company purchasing shares in the open market. This move is intended to reduce the number of outstanding shares, thereby increasing earnings per share (EPS) and potentially elevating the stock price. Companies often resort to this strategy when they believe their shares are undervalued.

The Price Increase Strategy:

Some companies implement price increases on their products or services to fund these buybacks. This can generate additional revenue, then redirected toward buying back shares. While this strategy may seem financially strategic, it is not without consequences, particularly regarding the brand image.

The Brand Impact:

  1. Consumer Perception:
    When a company raises prices, consumers are…

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Richard A Meyer

Marketing and Political thought leader — Writer- Audiophile