Flexibility in share repurchases: Evidence from UK

Open-market repurchase is a popular corporate payout method that public limited company (PLCs) use, and once they have made this decision an announcement is made. However, the announcement does not necessarily mean that the firm will implement the payout, or if it is initiated that they will buy back the entire announced volume of shares. Thus, using a sample of firms listed on the London Stock Exchange that announced an open-market repurchase between 1993 and 2014, we test the determinants of repurchase implementation using probit regressions, and if their influence also extends to the payout’s completion using Tobit regressions. The results are not identical in nature, but largely indicate a consistency between the influence patterns. Positive influences are exhibited by firm leverage, the balance sheet’s asset base, independent directors and the repurchase’s tax efficiency over dividends. Additionally, the volume of shares announced for repurchasing has a positive influence on the payout’s implementation, but not its completion, while market capitalisation has a positive influence on the payout’s completion, but not its implementation. The findings are most useful for financial practitioners to optimise their portfolio following a repurchase announcement.

show abstract

The Market Reaction to Repurchase Announcements

Sodhi,

Mateus,

Mateus

et al. 2023

JRFM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper investigates the drivers of the market’s reaction to share repurchase announcements in the UK and the related abnormality in stock performance. It uniquely captures the impact of globalisation in tandem with a variety of firm-level and macro-level determinants. We undertake multivariate OLS regression to test the determinants of the market’s reaction and find a negative influence when repurchases are tax-friendlier than dividends if there is high debt exposure and economic globalisation is rising, with a positive influence when the company has a history of distributing above average dividends. To quantify the short-term price abnormality, we employ event study analysis, and the findings compute positive (insignificant) stock price abnormality for nonfinancial (financial) firms. For long-term stock price abnormality, we compare against the FTSE 100 by computing annual geometric stock performances. The findings indicate a negative (insignificant) stock price abnormality for nonfinancial (financial) firms. The results can aid corporate management in improving repurchase timing, aid in the decision making of financial practitioners when trading or investing in repurchasing firms, and assist policymakers in mapping more efficient fiscal and cross-market trade frameworks.

show abstract

scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.

Contact Info

hi@scite.ai

10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614

Henderson, NV 89052, USA

Blog Terms and Conditions API Terms Privacy Policy Contact Cookie Preferences Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

Made with 💙 for researchers

Part of the Research Solutions Family.

Flexibility in share repurchases: Evidence from UK

Cited by 3 publications

References 86 publications

Timing Matters: Further Evidence on Motives for Repurchases and Special Dividends

Timing Matters: Further Evidence on Motives for Repurchases and Special Dividends

The Determinants of Implementing and Completing Share Repurchases

The Market Reaction to Repurchase Announcements

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About