Since 2009, corporate stock buybacks have generally been increasing. The hill being climbed has only grown steeper and in 2014 the market saw a 102% increase in S&P buybacks valued at more than $550 billion. Some see this playing a role in the bull market we’ve seen over the last 7 years. During this period, S&P 500 companies have spent over $2.5 trillion purchasing their own stocks.