Big Tech Shareholder Payouts Fall to 9.3% of Operating Cash, a 15-Year Low

Five Big Tech companies returned 9.3% of operating cash to shareholders in the first nine months of 2026, the lowest share in at least 15 years, Reuters reported October 30. Returns combine dividends and buybacks (purchases of the company's own shares). Operating cash flow is cash generated before long-lived asset spending. Reuters links the drop to AI spending.