Earnings Per Share, Share Repurchases and Dividends on Common Stock

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Earnings Per Share, Share Repurchases and Dividends on Common Stock

3. EARNINGS PER SHARE, SHARE REPURCHASES AND DIVIDENDS ON COMMON STOCK

Basic Earnings Per Share

We calculate basic earnings per share by dividing net earnings by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during each period.

Diluted Earnings Per Share

Diluted earnings per share include the dilutive effect of awards granted to employees under stock-based compensation plans. The dilutive effect of these securities totaled 0.5 million, 0.7 million and 0.9 million shares for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Share Repurchases

On September 16, 2015, the company’s board of directors authorized a share repurchase program of up to $4.0 billion of the company’s common stock (the “2015 Repurchase Program”). Repurchases under the 2015 Repurchase Program commenced in March 2016 and were completed in March 2020.

On December 4, 2018, the company’s board of directors authorized a share repurchase program of up to an additional $3.0 billion in share repurchases of the company’s common stock (the “2018 Repurchase Program”). Repurchases under the 2018 Repurchase Program commenced in March 2020 upon the completion of the company’s 2015 Repurchase Program. We had no repurchases of common stock during the three months ended December 31, 2020. As of December 31, 2020, repurchases under the 2018 Repurchase Program totaled $0.2 billion; $2.8 billion remained under this share repurchase authorization. By its terms, the 2018 Repurchase Program is set to expire when we have used all authorized funds for repurchases.

On January 25, 2021, the company’s board of directors authorized a new share repurchase program of up to an additional $3.0 billion in share repurchases of the company’s common stock (the “2021 Repurchase Program”), bringing the total outstanding authorization up to $5.8 billion. By its terms, repurchases under the 2021 Repurchase Program will commence upon completion of the 2018 Repurchase Program and will expire when we have used all authorized funds for repurchases.

Share repurchases take place from time to time, subject to market conditions and management’s discretion, in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions. The company retires its common stock upon repurchase and, in the periods presented, has not made any purchases of common stock other than in connection with these publicly announced repurchase programs.

The table below summarizes the company’s share repurchases to date under the authorizations described above:


Repurchase Program Authorization Date	Amount Authorized (in millions)		Total Shares Retired (in millions)	Average Price Per Share(1)		Date Completed	Shares Repurchased (in millions)

							Year Ended December 31
							2020	2019	2018
September 16, 2015	$	4,000	15.4	$	260.33	March 2020	0.9	3.2	3.8
December 4, 2018	$	3,000	0.5	$	326.20		0.5	—	—
							1.4	3.2	3.8

(1)Includes commissions paid.

Dividends on Common Stock

In May 2020, the company increased the quarterly common stock dividend 10 percent to $1.45 per share from the previous amount of $1.32 per share.

In May 2019, the company increased the quarterly common stock dividend 10 percent to $1.32 per share from the previous amount of $1.20 per share.

In May 2018, the company increased the quarterly common stock dividend 9 percent to $1.20 per share from the previous amount of $1.10 per share.

In January 2018, the company increased the quarterly common stock dividend 10 percent to $1.10 per share from the previous amount of $1.00 per share.