Singapore’s primary-listed companies have collectively repurchased S$1.91b worth of shares on the open market in the first 10 months of 2025, marking a 90% increase compared to the same period in 2024. This surge in buybacks surpasses the previous high of S$1.89b recorded in 2015, as reported by the Singapore Exchange (SGX).
The increase in buybacks is attributed to market volatility, with the Straits Times Index (STI) experiencing an 8% drop in April, which coincided with a quarter of the total buyback value for the year. Companies often engage in share buybacks to enhance financial metrics such as Earnings per Share (EPS) and Return on Equity (ROE), as well as to deploy surplus capital effectively.
Among the notable buybacks, 17Live Group repurchased S$6.2m of its shares at an average price of S$0.925, representing 3.4% of its market capitalisation. The group emphasised its disciplined approach to capital deployment in a recent investor presentation. Global Investments also made significant buybacks, acquiring S$4.5m worth of shares at an average price of S$0.126.
The buyback activity was predominantly driven by 11 stocks with market capitalisations exceeding S$10b, contributing S$1.76b, or 92%, of the total consideration. Smaller and mid-cap stocks accounted for S$144m, whilst those with market capitalisations under S$100m contributed S$6m.
As the year progresses, the trend of share buybacks is expected to continue, reflecting companies’ strategies to manage capital and respond to market conditions.
