Stock Markets February 9, 2026

NEC Board Approves ¥30 Billion Share Repurchase Plan

Tokyo-listed technology firm to buy back up to 6.8 million shares in a limited open-market program from Feb. 10 to Mar. 31, 2026

By Derek Hwang
NEC Board Approves ¥30 Billion Share Repurchase Plan

NEC Corporation's board has authorized a share buyback program capped at ¥30 billion, equivalent to roughly 0.51% of its outstanding shares (excluding treasury stock). The company will repurchase up to 6.8 million common shares through open-market transactions on the Tokyo Stock Exchange between February 10, 2026 and March 31, 2026, using a discretionary trading contract. NEC said the move is intended to support investment in growth areas while bolstering shareholder returns amid an improved financial position and a stock price it views in relation to its earnings outlook.

Key Points

  • NEC's board authorized a share repurchase program with a maximum value of ¥30 billion.
  • The company may buy up to 6.8 million common shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange between Feb. 10 and Mar. 31, 2026, using a discretionary trading contract.
  • Management framed the buyback as a way to support growth investments while enhancing shareholder returns, citing an improved financial position and the stock price relative to earnings.

NEC Corporation announced that its board of directors has approved a repurchase of its own shares with an upper limit of ¥30 billion. The program is structured as an open-market buyback on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and will be conducted within a defined window in early 2026.

Under the authorization, NEC may acquire up to 6.8 million shares of common stock. Purchases will be carried out between February 10, 2026 and March 31, 2026, and transactions are to be executed through a discretionary trading contract. The company specified that the planned repurchases represent approximately 0.51% of outstanding shares, calculated excluding any treasury stock already held by NEC.

NEC said the share repurchase is intended to balance the prioritization of investment in growth areas with efforts to enhance shareholder returns. The company highlighted two factors in explaining the decision: an improved financial condition and the current stock price when considered against its earnings outlook.

On the evening of the announcement, NEC held an investor relations meeting at 6:00 p.m. Japan Standard Time to present the details to shareholders and answer related questions.

The mechanics of the program - open-market purchases on the Tokyo Stock Exchange executed via a discretionary trading contract over a specified period - set clear parameters for how the buyback will proceed. The stated cap of ¥30 billion and the ceiling of 6.8 million shares define the maximum fiscal exposure and the largest possible reduction in outstanding shares from this program.

By excluding treasury stock from its calculation of outstanding shares, NEC clarified the basis for the 0.51% figure. The company framed the repurchase as part of a dual objective: to support capital allocation toward growth initiatives while also aiming to improve corporate value and maintain stable dividends for shareholders.


Details at a glance

  • Maximum repurchase amount: ¥30 billion
  • Maximum shares to be bought: 6.8 million common shares
  • Repurchase period: February 10, 2026 to March 31, 2026
  • Execution method: Open-market purchases on the Tokyo Stock Exchange via discretionary trading contract
  • Repurchase as percentage of outstanding shares: ~0.51% (excluding treasury stock)
  • Investor relations meeting held at 18:00 JST on the day of the announcement

Risks

  • The repurchase is limited in scale, representing about 0.51% of outstanding shares, which may constrain its impact on per-share metrics and market perception - relevant to equity investors and capital markets.
  • Execution of the program is confined to a fixed period (Feb. 10 to Mar. 31, 2026) and will be conducted via a discretionary trading contract, exposing the buyback to market conditions during that window - relevant to trading and liquidity considerations.
  • The company cited its improved financial condition and current stock price relative to its earnings outlook as motivating factors, indicating the program depends on internal assessments of financial position and valuation rather than guaranteeing a market outcome - relevant to shareholders and corporate finance.

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