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Price ceilings, market structure, and payout policies

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  • Li, Xiongshi
  • Ye, Mao
  • Zheng, Miles

Abstract

To prevent issuers from inflating their share prices, SEC Rule 10b-18 sets price ceilings on share repurchases through open markets. We find that market-structure reforms in the 1990s and 2000s dramatically increased share repurchases because they relaxed constraints on issuers competing with other buyers under price ceilings. The Tick Size Pilot Program, a controlled experiment that partially reversed previous reforms, significantly reduced share repurchases. We estimate that price ceilings and reduced market-structure frictions explain 18% of the secular increase in share repurchases. Meanwhile, these two frictions still exist, which explains why share repurchases have not crowded out dividends entirely.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Xiongshi & Ye, Mao & Zheng, Miles, 2024. "Price ceilings, market structure, and payout policies," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfinec:v:155:y:2024:i:c:s0304405x24000412
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jfineco.2024.103818
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Market Structure; Share Repurchase; Queue Competition; Dark Pool; Regulation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G35 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Payout Policy

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