Southwest Raises Dividend, Approves Stock Repurchase

Southwest Airlines Co. said Wednesday it boosted its quarterly dividend 33% and rolled out a new $2 billion share-buyback plan, joining other carriers in sweeping cash returns to shareholders.

Chief Executive Gary Kelly said the authorization was the largest for the company in its "decades-long history of returning value back to our shareholders." Southwest recently completed its previous buyback, totaling 37.3 million shares, for $1.5 billion.

The quarterly dividend will increase to 10 cents a share from 7.5 cents, beginning Wednesday. That pushes the annual dividend yield to about 1% based on Tuesday's closing stock price. Southwest said the increase amounts to $255 million annually.

Earlier this year, United Continental Holdings Inc., the third-largest U.S. airline by traffic, said it plans to repurchase $750 million in shares during the first quarter, having bought back $1.2 billion during 2015.

Last month, American Airlines Group Inc., confident of its long-term success, announced another $2 billion share-buyback program to run through 2017. This came after the company, the nation's largest airline, has returned $6.6 billion to investors through dividends and share repurchases since mid-2014.

On Monday, Delta Air Lines Inc., the nation's No. 2 airline by traffic, said it would boost its annual dividend and finish off a $5 billion stock-buyback program in May of next year.

Southwest shares were recently up 2.2% at $43.14.

Write to Anne Steele at Anne.Steele@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 18, 2016 12:45 ET (16:45 GMT)

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