Whole Foods Markets (WFM)

[DewDiligence]

WFM boosts buyback plan and raises dividend slightly:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/whole-foods-market-announces-1-210600244.html

...the Company's Board of Directors has authorized a new $1 billion share repurchase program, bringing the Company's total share repurchase authorization to $1.3 billion. In addition, the Board declared a 4% increase in the quarterly dividend to $0.135 per share from $0.13 per share, the Company's fifth consecutive dividend increase since reinstating the dividend in 2011.

The Company's intent is to spend the majority of the [new] $1 billion buyback authorization in the first half of the fiscal year [i.e. between now and the end of Mar 2016] and expects the combined effects of the additional indebtedness and future share repurchases to be accretive to earnings per share in fiscal year 2016.

At the new annualized payout rate of $0.54, WFM’s dividend yields 1.7% at the current share price.

p.s. Still haven’t had time to listen to the CC—will do over the weekend.