The effect of asymmetric information disappears: Evidence in share repurchases and market efficiency

Abstract

This article aims to measure the wealth effect centered on stock repurchase announcements in U.S. companies and combine it with the concept of market efficiency, which means that information can be fully disclosed and circulated. We find that the higher the market efficiency, the lower the information asymmetry between internal managers and external investors and the lower the company opacity, resulting in the disappearance of abnormal returns after stock repurchases. Furthermore, we show that when market uncertainty decreases, the lower the information asymmetry opacity, the lower the abnormal returns after stock repurchases. Our findings have important policy implications for governments and investors.