That is exactly right.
IF it is to be anything more than opportunistic window dressing, they need to make a bold Tender Offer for 20, 30, 40 or more Million shares at one time. Get a traditional loan, or pledge future revenues with a kicker, do what we can to soak up the shares. Reducing Share count is the single most important share impacting influence that the company CAN control; it's impact to the stock price will be almost the equlivant of creating revenues.
We have little to lose at this stage; "Play (for the Shareholders) To Win.
Doing so will reduce the Outstanding significantly, and bring not only support (or positive strength) to the price, but will draw in competitive interest for the shares due to the perception of genuine undervaluation; this will organically elevate the price.
A large Tender Offer will also not be seen as just an opportunity for retail Shareholders to dump shares onto the market without imploding the price while company's historically modest Buyback program serves as a potential backstop for their capituation; this is the danger if this level of buyback is only temporary.