Oil giant Shell says it will spend $4 billion buying back shares, as it reports its highest ever annual profit

• Shell said Thursday it will complete a $4 billion buyback plan by May, as it reported financial earnings. 
• It booked its biggest annual profit ever, as its natural gas business boomed thanks to sky-high prices. 
• The oil giant's stock price rose over 2.7% after the fourth-quarter and yearly earnings report.

Shell said Thursday it will spend $4 billion on share buybacks, after it posted its biggest annual profit ever thanks to a strong fourth-quarter performance by its natural-gas business.