The US economy is acting strange, but it’s moving. SpaceX hit a $137 billion valuation, mostly because they just grabbed another $750 million in funding. Other giants are playing along, too. One major player just dropped plans to buy back $3 billion of its own stock before Q2 ends. It’s a loud signal that they think their best days are ahead.
I wanted to see if that $3 billion buyback actually makes sense or if it’s just corporate theater. Repurchasing shares is a classic move. It trims the supply of outstanding stock and pumps up the EPS, which usually keeps the board happy. They’re betting that current conditions make this the right time to lock in value.
I hate guessing, so I wrote a Python script to check the math. I pulled the raw data using Quandl. Here is the start of that script:
import quandl
quandl.ApiConfig.api_key = "YOUR_API_KEY"
data = quandl.get_table(quandl.TableCode.TableCode,
ticker="COMPANY_TICKER",
date={"start_date": "2020-01-01",
"end_date": "2022-12-31"}))
Next, I pushed that data into pandas to calculate the EPS and the P/E ratio. It’s basic stuff, but it helps cut through the PR fluff.
import pandas as pd
# Calculate EPS
eps = data["EPS"]
# Calculate P/E ratio
pe_ratio = data["P_E"]
print(eps)
print(pe_ratio)
My code is a toy model. Real Wall Street quants use way more variables, but this gives me a clear look at how share count adjustments hit the bottom line.
Watch the Senate’s new stance on prediction markets. That’s the real wild card right now. SpaceX will keep pushing boundaries, and I expect more companies to burn cash on buybacks while the market stays hot.
If you want to track this stuff without the fluff, read the Economist or check the data feeds from the New York Fed directly. Don't trust the headlines. Build your own models.
Key Takeaways
- The US economy is showing surprising resilience in 2026, fueled by aggressive corporate moves.
- Stock buybacks are a blunt instrument companies use to signal confidence and prop up share prices.
- You need to run the numbers yourself if you want to understand how these moves actually affect shareholder value.
