S&P Indices announced today that preliminary results show that S&P 500 stock buybacks increased 21.6% to$109.2 billionduring the second quarter of 2011, up from the$89.8 billionregistered during the first quarter of 2011 and up 40.7% from the$77.6 billionposted in the second quarter of 2010. The 2nd quarter represents the eighth consecutive quarterly increase for stock buybacks.

"Companies returned to the$100 billionquarterly buyback level in the second quarter as they continued to match and control employee options, thereby protecting their earnings per share," saysHoward Silverblatt, Senior Index Analyst at S&P Indices. "At this point, companies are continuing to use buybacks to prevent earnings dilution from employee options, as well as shares used for dividend reinvestment programs. Few companies are venturing outside of the box to purchase additional shares, as was the common practice from late 2005 through mid-2007."

On a sector basis, Silverblatt notes that the Information Technology sector continues to dominate the buyback market. For the second quarter of 2011, Information Technology issues accounted for 22.2% of all buybacks, down slightly from the 23.4% registered during the first quarter of 2011. Financials posted the largest increase, spending$14.4 billionfor the quarter - a 95.7% increase over the$7.3 billionexpenditure in the first quarter.

Exxon Mobil continues to be the poster child for share repurchases, spending$5.5 billionon buybacks during the second quarter, compared to$5.7 billionduring the first quarter of 2011. Ironically, it is this buyback program, which reduced Exxon's share count by 18.5% over the past five-years ($129 billion), which may cost it its position as the largest company in the world. Trailing behind Exxon is Hewlett-Packard Company with$4.6 billionin share repurchases, International Business Machines with$4.0 billion, JP Morgan Chase & Company with$3.5 billion, and CononoPhillips at$3.1 billion.

For the third quarter of 2011, Silverblatt expects companies to maintain the$110 billionbuyback level, protecting their earnings and adding a slight tailwind for the third quarter as they reduce share count. Silverblatt adds: "The fourth quarter will depend, as so many things will, on the economy."