Are Buybacks Good for Long-term Shareholder Value? Evidence From Buybacks Around the World

Using a sample of over 9,000 buyback announcements from 31 non-U.S. countries, the authors find support for the results of studies based on U.S. data: On average, share repurchases are associated with significant positive short- and long-term excess returns. However, excess returns depend on the likelihood of undervaluation and the efficiency and liquidity of equity markets. In contrast to findings in U.S. markets, the authors do not find that these long-term excess returns are simply a compensation for takeover risk or have become less significant in recent years.