IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbfina/v143y2022ics037842662200139x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Signal strength adjustment behavior: Evidence from share repurchases

Author

Listed:
  • Ota, Koji
  • Lau, David
  • Kawase, Hironori

Abstract

This paper extends the signaling hypothesis by investigating the signal strength adjustment behavior with respect to the announcement of an open market repurchase (OMR). Given that an OMR is a non-binding commitment for the repurchasing firm, the stock market would likely scrutinize the credibility of the undervaluation signal from the OMR announcement of the firm. This may compel the manager to engage in various mechanisms in order to strengthen the undervaluation signal of the OMR announcement. This paper investigates whether managers of repurchasing firms would modify the terms of the OMR program when the simultaneous announcements of bad news threaten the credibility of the signal from the OMR announcements. Consistent with our signal strength adjustment hypothesis, we find that managers of repurchasing firms increase (shorten) the repurchase plan size (period) with the magnitude of bad news in the simultaneous announcements. Our results also show that the stock market reacts positively to the signal strength adjustments, indicating that they are informative to the market. These results hold after using various techniques to control for sample selection bias.

Suggested Citation

  • Ota, Koji & Lau, David & Kawase, Hironori, 2022. "Signal strength adjustment behavior: Evidence from share repurchases," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:143:y:2022:i:c:s037842662200139x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2022.106545
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037842662200139X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jbankfin.2022.106545?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. William J. McNally, 1999. "Open Market Stock Repurchase Signaling," Financial Management, Financial Management Association, vol. 28(2), Summer.
    2. Eugene F. Fama & Kenneth R. French, 2001. "Disappearing Dividends: Changing Firm Characteristics Or Lower Propensity To Pay?," Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Morgan Stanley, vol. 14(1), pages 67-79, March.
    3. Ota, Koji & Kawase, Hironori & Lau, David, 2019. "Does reputation matter? Evidence from share repurchases," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 287-306.
    4. Ikenberry, David & Lakonishok, Josef & Vermaelen, Theo, 1995. "Market underreaction to open market share repurchases," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(2-3), pages 181-208.
    5. David A. Maslar & Matthew Serfling & Sarah Shaikh, 2021. "Economic Downturns and the Informativeness of Management Earnings Forecasts," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(4), pages 1481-1520, September.
    6. Bonaimé, Alice A. & Hankins, Kristine W. & Jordan, Bradford D., 2016. "The cost of financial flexibility: Evidence from share repurchases," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 345-362.
    7. Jagannathan, Murali & Stephens, Clifford P. & Weisbach, Michael S., 2000. "Financial flexibility and the choice between dividends and stock repurchases," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(3), pages 355-384, September.
    8. Gould, Graeme P., 2019. "Repurchases and intended program length," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 234-247.
    9. repec:bla:jfinan:v:53:y:1998:i:1:p:313-333 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Banyi, Monica L. & Dyl, Edward A. & Kahle, Kathleen M., 2008. "Errors in estimating share repurchases," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 14(4), pages 460-474, September.
    11. David Ikenberry & Josef Lakonishok & Theo Vermaelen, 2000. "Stock Repurchases in Canada: Performance and Strategic Trading," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 55(5), pages 2373-2397, October.
    12. Koji Ota, 2010. "The Value Relevance of Management Forecasts and Their Impact on Analysts' Forecasts: Empirical Evidence From Japan," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 46(1), pages 28-59, March.
    13. Louis, Henock & White, Hal, 2007. "Do managers intentionally use repurchase tender offers to signal private information? Evidence from firm financial reporting behavior," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(1), pages 205-233, July.
    14. Fried, Jesse M, 2000. "Insider Signaling and Insider Trading with Repurchase Tender Offers," Berkeley Olin Program in Law & Economics, Working Paper Series qt74m8n14z, Berkeley Olin Program in Law & Economics.
    15. Bonaimé, Alice Adams & Öztekin, Özde & Warr, Richard S., 2014. "Capital structure, equity mispricing, and stock repurchases," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 182-200.
    16. Comment, Robert & Jarrell, Gregg A, 1991. "The Relative Signalling Power of Dutch-Auction and Fixed-Price Self-Tender Offers and Open-Market Share Repurchases," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 46(4), pages 1243-1271, September.
    17. Liu, Harrison & Swanson, Edward P., 2016. "Is price support a motive for increasing share repurchases?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 77-91.
    18. Urs Peyer, 2009. "The Nature and Persistence of Buyback Anomalies," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 22(4), pages 1693-1745, April.
    19. Chan, Konan & Ikenberry, David & Lee, Inmoo, 2004. "Economic Sources of Gain in Stock Repurchases," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 39(3), pages 461-479, September.
    20. Jensen, Michael C, 1986. "Agency Costs of Free Cash Flow, Corporate Finance, and Takeovers," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(2), pages 323-329, May.
    21. Vermaelen, Theo, 1981. "Common stock repurchases and market signalling : An empirical study," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 9(2), pages 139-183, June.
    22. Ota, Koji & Lau, David, 2021. "Share repurchases on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Trading Network," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    23. Utpal Bhattacharya & Stacey E. Jacobsen, 2016. "The Share Repurchase Announcement Puzzle: Theory and Evidence," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 20(2), pages 725-758.
    24. repec:bla:jfinan:v:59:y:2004:i:2:p:651-680 is not listed on IDEAS
    25. Gustavo Grullon & David L. Ikenberry, 2000. "What Do We Know About Stock Repurchases?," Journal of Applied Corporate Finance, Morgan Stanley, vol. 13(1), pages 31-51, March.
    26. Bargeron, Leonce & Kulchania, Manoj & Thomas, Shawn, 2011. "Accelerated share repurchases," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(1), pages 69-89, July.
    27. Massa, Massimo & Rehman, Zahid & Vermaelen, Theo, 2007. "Mimicking repurchases," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(3), pages 624-666, June.
    28. Dittmar, Amy K, 2000. "Why Do Firms Repurchase Stock?," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 73(3), pages 331-355, July.
    29. Babenko, Ilona & Tserlukevich, Yuri & Vedrashko, Alexander, 2012. "The Credibility of Open Market Share Repurchase Signaling," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 47(5), pages 1059-1088, October.
    30. Andriosopoulos, Dimitris & Andriosopoulos, Kostas & Hoque, Hafiz, 2013. "Information disclosure, CEO overconfidence, and share buyback completion rates," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 5486-5499.
    31. Fried, Jesse M., 2005. "Informed Trading and False Signaling with Open Market Repurchases," Berkeley Olin Program in Law & Economics, Working Paper Series qt8x6082cn, Berkeley Olin Program in Law & Economics.
    32. Peyer, Urs C. & Vermaelen, Theo, 2005. "The many facets of privately negotiated stock repurchases," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(2), pages 361-395, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ma, Pengfei & Li, Chengcheng & Wang, Xiaoqiong, 2024. "Why do undervalued firms repurchase shares? Evidence based on the market-timing effect in China," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ota, Koji & Kawase, Hironori & Lau, David, 2019. "Does reputation matter? Evidence from share repurchases," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 287-306.
    2. Ota, Koji & Lau, David, 2021. "Share repurchases on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Trading Network," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    3. Andriosopoulos, Dimitris & Lasfer, Meziane, 2015. "The market valuation of share repurchases in Europe," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 327-339.
    4. Alquhaif, Abdulsalam & Al-Gamrh, Bakr & Abdul Latif, Rohaida, 2020. "An overview of share buybacks: A descriptive case from Malaysia," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 28(C).
    5. Andriosopoulos, Dimitris & Andriosopoulos, Kostas & Hoque, Hafiz, 2013. "Information disclosure, CEO overconfidence, and share buyback completion rates," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 5486-5499.
    6. Moore, David, 2023. "Strategic repurchases and equity sales: Evidence from equity vesting schedules," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    7. Gould, Graeme P., 2019. "Repurchases and intended program length," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 234-247.
    8. Su, Xuan-Qi & Lin, Yung-Chieh & Chen, Chin-Ming & Lowe, Alpha, 2019. "Are educational managers credible or overconfident? Evidence from share repurchases in Taiwan," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 93-112.
    9. Bong Soo Lee & Nathan Mauck, 2018. "Informed Repurchases, Information Asymmetry and the Market Response to Open Market Share Repurchases," Review of Pacific Basin Financial Markets and Policies (RPBFMP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 21(03), pages 1-32, September.
    10. Dittmar, Amy & Field, Laura Casares, 2015. "Can managers time the market? Evidence using repurchase price data," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(2), pages 261-282.
    11. Andriosopoulos, Dimitris & Hoque, Hafiz, 2013. "The determinants of share repurchases in Europe," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 65-76.
    12. Gerald J. Lobo & Ashok Robin & Kean Wu, 2020. "Share repurchases and accounting conservatism," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 54(2), pages 699-733, February.
    13. Angeliki Drousia & Athanasios Episcopos & George N. Leledakis & Emmanouil G. Pyrgiotakis, 2023. "EU Regulation and open market share repurchases: new evidence," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(9), pages 1022-1042, June.
    14. Chen, Sheng-Syan & Wang, Yanzhi, 2012. "Financial constraints and share repurchases," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(2), pages 311-331.
    15. Huang, Chia-Wei, 2015. "Takeover vulnerability and the credibility of signaling: The case of open-market share repurchases," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 405-417.
    16. Griffin, Paul A. & Zhu, Ning, 2010. "Accounting rules? Stock buybacks and stock options: Additional evidence," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 1-17.
    17. Chen, Ni-Yun & Liu, Chi-Chun, 2019. "Open-market block share repurchases probability, frequency and timing," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 278-296.
    18. Kulchania, Manoj, 2013. "Catering driven substitution in corporate payouts," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 180-195.
    19. Lei, Zicheng & Zhang, Chendi, 2016. "Leveraged buybacks," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 242-262.
    20. Salim Chahine & Mohamad Zeidan & Hala Dairy, 2012. "Corporate governance and the market reaction to stock repurchase announcement," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 16(4), pages 707-726, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Share repurchase; Signaling hypothesis; Signal strength adjustment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G35 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Payout Policy

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:143:y:2022:i:c:s037842662200139x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jbf .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.