The stock buyback will not take place for at least a month.
First, much has been made lately of stock buybacks by public companies.
At its closing price, the stock buyback would be worth more than $1 billion.
But stock buybacks may be bad news for Washington's budget makers.
Over the last 20 years, stock buybacks total a few trillion.
The drop was the result of a $2 billion stock buyback in the first quarter.
At some companies, a stock buyback can signal a significant change in management strategy.
Companies announced a record level of planned stock buybacks in 1987.
The company said it expected to complete a previous $500 million stock buyback by the end of the first quarter.
For now, investors are betting either on a new hit show or a stock buyback.