# Dividends and buybacks

Informational only - not investment advice.

Book: [Reading Financial Data - Step by Step](/guide/)
Chapter: [Cash flow & returns](/guide/cash-flow-returns/)
As of: 2025-10-31

Dividends and share buybacks are two separate cash outflow lines.

## Concept

Both are ways a company can return cash to shareholders. The filing reports them as amounts, not as a recommendation.

## Worked Example: Read Apple's dividends and buybacks

1. AAPL dividends paid were $15.4 billion in fiscal 2025.
2. AAPL share buybacks were $90.7 billion in the same fiscal year.
3. The rows are separate because a dividend payment and a share repurchase are different transactions.
4. Read the amounts with the fiscal year and source; do not combine them without saying what you are adding.

## See it live

- [AAPL company page](/company/AAPL/)

## Sources

- [AAPL SEC companyfacts](https://data.sec.gov/api/xbrl/companyfacts/CIK0000320193.json)
- [AAPL latest 10-K source](https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/320193/000032019325000079/aapl-20250927.htm)