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I'd call them recession-prepping but not apocalyptic.

Buying stock back is apocalypse prep?

Sure, when a company decides that investments or hiring are unlikely to pay off, but also that inflation is going to eat dollars.

That's not apocalypse, though. That's just the normal economic cycle.

If a company actually thought the apocalypse was coming, why would they buy back stock? The stock's going to be worthless, and so is the company. Use the cash to buy something that will be worth something in the apocalypse (food, bomb shelters, guns, maybe gold). If you actually believe the apocalypse is coming, buying corporate stock is a stupid response.

So I don't believe your claim that stock buybacks indicate that corporations know the apocalypse is coming. Rough economic times, sure. Apocalypse, no.

Apart from stock buybacks that seems like stopping wasting money. Preparing for apocalypse would mean significant pivots and investments to those.