Well, anyone that uses Wikipedia as their financial resource is pretty ignorant to start.
Here is the point: LUV is attempting to reduce the total number of outstanding shares, to allow EPS to grow. Yes, this means that the shares "go away", unless they are re-issued. This includes options, etc. The shares go away, they're off the street, they're no longer for sale, they aren't traded, let's see how else to put it...they go away.
Later, the company can reissue them, or resell them to the public, but it's not as if they keep these things in a safe, well, even if they do it doesn't matter. The only reason to repurchase shares is to get them out of the market, to reduce the total number of outstanding shares.
What is the world do you think repurchases do?
Ok radar, lets review what you have stated so far in this thread:
First of all you make the incorrect statement to a poster that the shares of WN that is going to bought back will simply "go away".
I then state that that is an incorrect statement and correct you.
Instead of you realizing the error you had made (which is really no big deal) you come back with a brassy comment for me to "go learn how to read a balance sheet and get back with you."
Well, since I am an active investor and know what I am talking about I decide to provide proof. I then use LUV's own press release of the buyback. To further prove my point I also go to wikipedia. (Not because I use it as a financial resource but because it is convenient.)
I then provide you with two clear examples that you are wrong. Still you just dont seem to get it.
Shares of stock just dont "go away" They are either retired or they are held on to by the company and then reissued. A company has to get all this stuff cleared by the SEC. You can't just say; "Hey we feel like issuing a couple million shares today." And poof it then happens.
If the company buys back some of its stock and then decides to use them as part of the company's ESPP or wants to later sell them to the public those shares will still be valid and in-force. If the company decides that they no longer want the shares they can then retire them. In that case every remaining outstanding share has a larger percentage ownership of the company.
Again shares just don't "go away" when they are bought back. It doesn't work like that.
If you had any freaking clue what you were talking about then we wouldn't be having this discussion and you wouldn't be looking like a fool.
BTW, instead of the slinging mud at me when I tried to correct you, you could have at least done a little research a found out for yourself that you are incorrect. But I guess that can't be done on FI. Where everyone is an expert in their own mind.