TREASURY STOCK AND DIVIDENDS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

At December 31, 2022, the Company had a total remaining authorization of $3.9 billion related to a program authorized by the Company's Board of Directors ("the Board") in 2019 to repurchase up to $15 billion of the Company's common stock. In the first quarter of 2023, the Board authorized an additional program to repurchase up to $20 billion of the Company's common stock. At December 31, 2023, the Company had a total remaining authorization of $13.7 billion to repurchase its common stock. The Company expects to complete the share repurchases under the remaining authorization by the end of 2026, assuming no major downturn in the travel market. Additionally, the Board has given the Company the general authorization to repurchase shares of its common stock withheld to satisfy employee withholding tax obligations related to stock-based compensation.

The following table summarizes the Company's stock repurchase activities during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021 (in millions, except for shares, which are reflected in thousands):


	Year Ended December 31,
	2023			2022			2021
	Shares	Amount		Shares	Amount		Shares	Amount
Authorized stock repurchase programs	3,660	$	10,249	3,320	$	6,526	—	$	—
General authorization for shares withheld on stock award vesting	72	194		80	167		71	162
Total	3,732	$	10,443	3,400	$	6,693	71	$	162

Stock repurchases of $40 million in December 2023 were settled in January 2024. Stock repurchases of $70 million in December 2022 were settled in January 2023. For the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, the Company remitted employee withholding taxes of $194 million, $165 million, and $163 million, respectively, to the tax authorities, which is different from the aggregate cost of the shares withheld for taxes for each year due to the timing in remitting the taxes. The cash remitted to the tax authorities is included in financing activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Effective January 1, 2023, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 has mandated a 1% excise tax on share repurchases. Excise tax obligations that result from the Company's share repurchases are accounted for as a cost of the treasury stock transaction. As of December 31, 2023, the Company recorded an estimated excise tax liability of $96 million for stock repurchases during the year ended December 31, 2023, which is included in "Accrued expenses and other current liabilities" in the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

On January 25, 2024, the Board adopted a dividend policy pursuant to which the Company intends to pay quarterly cash dividends on its common stock. Declaration of dividends pursuant to the policy will be subject to the Board’s consideration of, among other things, the Company's financial performance, cash flows, capital needs, and liquidity. Pursuant to the dividend policy, on February 16, 2024 the Board declared a quarterly cash dividend of $8.75 per share of common stock, payable on March 28, 2024 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 8, 2024.