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Pharma and biotech stocks buying back their own shares (October 2026)
15 pharma and biotech stocks on Buyback Radar have each retired at least a tenth of their own shares since their peak. Biogen leads, with 57.1% of its shares gone since 2005. Every count comes from the cover pages of the companies' own 10-K and 10-Q filings with the SEC, split adjusted, so it is net of the new shares handed to employees. The list is rebuilt every Monday.
| # | Company | Retired since peak | Peak | 5 years | 12 months | Market value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  BiogenBIIB | −57.1% | 2005 | −0.9% | +0.8% | — |
| 2 |  AmgenAMGN | −48.4% | 2008 | −4.8% | +0.4% | $233.8B |
| 3 |  IDEXX LaboratoriesIDXX | −44.4% | 1999 | −7.4% | −1.5% | $44.1B |
| 4 |  InnovivaINVA | −38.1% | 2014 | +4.0% | +14.6% | $1.5B |
| 5 |  Gilead SciencesGILD | −33.3% | 2006 | −1.1% | −0.1% | $193.7B |
| 6 |  MedpaceMEDP | −31.3% | 2016 | −22.2% | −0.7% | $17.3B |
| 7 |  IQVIAIQV | −30.2% | 2016 | −14.1% | −3.2% | $43.9B |
| 8 |  PfizerPFE | −29.4% | 2009 | +1.7% | +0.2% | — |
| 9 |  ExelixisEXEL | −23.5% | 2023 | −21.4% | −8.0% | $15.4B |
| 10 |  Halozyme TherapeuticsHALO | −21.7% | 2018 | −20.3% | −3.0% | $13.8B |
| 11 |  Johnson & JohnsonJNJ | −21.0% | 2001 | −8.6% | −0.1% | $615.2B |
| 12 |  Merck &MRK | −20.8% | 2009 | −2.5% | −1.2% | $360.1B |
| 13 |  Eli LillyLLY | −18.9% | 2011 | −1.6% | −0.5% | $1.18T |
| 14 |  ZoetisZTS | −17.5% | 2014 | −12.8% | −6.8% | $32.8B |
| 15 |  Agios PharmaceuticalsAGIO | −14.2% | 2020 | +1.3% | +2.8% | — |
Which pharma and biotech stocks buy back the most shares?
On Buyback Radar in October 2026, Biogen (BIIB) has retired 57.1% of its shares since 2005, followed by Amgen (48.4%) and IDEXX Laboratories (44.4%).
Which pharma and biotech stocks are buying back the fastest right now?
Exelixis (EXEL), with 8.0% fewer shares than twelve months ago. 10 of the 15 have a lower share count than a year ago.
Why count shares instead of buyback dollars?
A company can spend billions on buybacks and still end the year with more shares, because it hands new stock to employees. The share count on the cover of the filing shows what actually disappeared. Every share retired makes the remaining shares a bigger slice of the same business.
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Updated 2026-10-24 from SEC filings. Grouped by the industry code each company files with the SEC. Not investment advice. How we count.