Signaling undervaluation is often considered a primary motive for repurchasing stock, but insider trading activity by repurchasing firms is not always consistent with undervaluation. Net insider buying and selling are both more frequent in quarters when firms are repurchasing non-trivial amounts...

This paper examines whether a firm's reputation is a determinant of repurchase completion rates (the ratio of actual to announced repurchases) and whether the stock market discounts announcements made by less reputable firms. Prior completion rates are positively correlated with current...

This paper examines firms' voluntary disclosures regarding open market repurchase programs, i.e., announcements that firms have suspended, resumed, or completed repurchases. Abnormal returns around announcements are, on average, positive when firms voluntarily announce repurchase resumptions or...

Over the last two decades, share repurchases have emerged as the dominant payout channel, offering a more flexible means of returning excess cash to investors. However, little is known about the costs associated with payout-related financial flexibility. Using a unique identification strategy,...

This paper investigates the timing and source of anomalous positive long-run abnormal returns following repurchase authorizations. Returns between program authorization and completion announcements are indistinguishable from zero. Abnormal returns occur only after completion announcements....

We are the first to document and study the use of Rule 10b5 1 preset repurchase plans. Though the Rule's original intent was to clarify conditions for enforcing insider trading laws, generally thought to apply to individuals classified as firm insiders, we find strong use of the Rule at the firm...

Though short sellers on average succeed at identifying overvalued equity, firms often signal disagreement with short sellers by repurchasing stock when short interest increases. We investigate whether this disagreement reflects a myopic defense of inflated prices, or positive private...

Employee compensation may impact payout policy by (i) incentivizing managers with non-dividend-protected options to favor repurchases over dividends and (ii) diluting earnings, which firms can neutralize through share repurchases. Both the dividend-protection and dilution channels imply a...

We construct a large sample of announcements that firms have authorized, suspended, resumed, or completed open market repurchase (OMR) programs. Starting or continuing repurchases is associated with positive average announcement period abnormal returns. Stopping repurchases, either by suspending...

Both risk management and payout decisions affect a firm's financial flexibility — the ability to avoid costly financial distress as well as underinvestment. We provide evidence of substitution between hedging and payout decisions using samples of both financial and nonfinancial firms. We find...