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Share repurchases of initial public offerings: motives, valuation effects, and the impact of market regulation

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  • Wolfgang Bessler
  • Wolfgang Drobetz
  • Martin Seim

Abstract

This study investigates the motives and valuation effects of share repurchase announcements of German firms during the 1998-2008 period, addressing the question why initial public offering (IPO) firms repurchase shares soon after going public. While our focus is on IPO firms, we also examine the impact of firm size by differentiating between IPO and established DAX/MDAX firms and by analyzing the source of surplus cash holdings, that is, either from equity issuances or from operating cash flows. We further explore the impact of the regulatory environment. Our empirical analysis reveals significant differences between the IPO and DAX/MDAX subsamples regarding their repurchase motives, stock price performance, and explanatory factors. Standard corporate payout theories are essential in explaining the different valuation effects. Our empirical analysis suggests agency costs of free cash flow as the main reason for the observed valuation effects of both IPO and DAX/MDAX firms, yet for different reasons. While DAX/MDAX firms continuously generate high operating cash flows before and after repurchasing shares, IPO firms exhibit low operating cash flows during the entire period but large surplus cash holdings due to the mandatory equity issuance at their public offering. Overall, the repurchase decisions of IPO firms are best explained by the agency costs of cash holdings and the unique rules and regulations of the German stock exchange.

Suggested Citation

  • Wolfgang Bessler & Wolfgang Drobetz & Martin Seim, 2014. "Share repurchases of initial public offerings: motives, valuation effects, and the impact of market regulation," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(3), pages 232-263, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:eurjfi:v:20:y:2014:i:3:p:232-263
    DOI: 10.1080/1351847X.2012.698991
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. repec:hal:cepnwp:hal-03987909 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Mustafa Erdem Sakinç, 2017. "Share Repurchases in Europe A Value Extraction Analysis," Working Papers hal-03987909, HAL.
    3. Xiao, MingFang & Cao, June & Chiang, Yao-Min, 2022. "Kiss the baby for the nurse's sake? - Guaranteeing employees' stock purchase against loss program," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    4. Andres, Christian & Doumet, Markus & Fernau, Erik & Theissen, Erik, 2015. "The Lintner model revisited: Dividends versus total payouts," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 56-69.
    5. Bessler, Wolfgang & Vendrasco, Marco, 2022. "Corporate control and shareholder activism in Germany: An empirical analysis of hedge fund strategies," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    6. Wolfgang Bessler & Johannes Beyenbach & Marc Steffen Rapp & Marco Vendrasco, 2023. "Why do firms down-list or exit from securities markets?," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 1175-1211, May.
    7. Wolfgang Bessler & Wolfgang Drobetz & Martin Seim & Jan Zimmermann, 2016. "Equity Issues and Stock Repurchases of Initial Public Offerings," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 22(1), pages 31-62, January.
    8. Bessler, Wolfgang & Beyenbach, Johannes & Rapp, Marc Steffen & Vendrasco, Marco, 2021. "The global financial crisis and stock market migrations: An analysis of family and non-family firms in Germany," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    9. Dimitrios Gounopoulos & Johannes Hoebelt, 2013. "Development in financial markets and the performance of German IPOs," Chapters, in: Mario Levis & Silvio Vismara (ed.), Handbook of Research on IPOs, chapter 20, pages 421-462, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    10. Bessler, Wolfgang & Vendrasco, Marco, 2022. "Why do companies become hedge fund targets? Evidence from shareholder activism in Germany," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PB).

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