Samsung Electronics plans to restart its aggressive shareholder return program for the first time in a decade, likely modeled after its 2017 plan, with share repurchases and cancellations leading the way.

Citrini analyst Jukan cited a report from South Korea’s Meritz Securities, stating that Samsung Electronics is expected to unveil a shareholder return plan in the coming weeks, on par with its aggressive 2017 initiative—marking the first revival of its "early execution plan" in nearly a decade. Specific measures include raising dividends, ceasing to deduct M&A expenses when calculating free cash flow, and returning 50% of free cash flow to shareholders in full. Meritz’s report notes that Samsung’s management has acknowledged the recent stock price drop has undervalued its shares, so moves directly boosting shareholder value such as share buybacks and cancellations are expected to roll out first. Samsung Electronics faced pressure in July due to overall pullbacks in its memory chip segment and structural factors including forced liquidation of leveraged ETFs; its current stock price remains significantly discounted from June’s highs. If the return plan is implemented, it will signal a structural shift in Samsung’s capital allocation strategy from conservative expansion to prioritizing shareholder returns.