Share buybacks refer to the repurchasing of shares of stock by the company that issued them. There can be several reasons for a company to go for share buyback:
• To utilise unused cash
• To preserve the share price
• To take benefit of undervalued share
In this study, we examine the effects on the share price as a result of share buyback. It is important to understand the reasons behind undertaking this study. While share buybacks have been chosen by a few companies in the recent past - this becomes a helpful tool to understand performance and motivation for stock market trades placed on stock exchanges in the country. This study could help predict possible price movement of stocks prior to a possible share buyback officially announced by the company. As the companies being discussed are large-cap and stable companies; analysts predict the possibility of a share buyback as a possible alternative well in advance before such an activity actually happens with the company. Hence understanding the possible impact, if any of short term effects of stock prices due to share buyback process on Indian stocks listed on the stock exchanges become important; thereby validating the need for this study.
The target sector and companies selected for this study are Indian IT companies which have undergone buyback in the period 2013 to 2018. This research aims at analysing the past five-year data of top 5 IT companies in India and listed on the National Stock Exchange, i.e., Infosys, HCL Technologies, Wipro, TCS, Tech Mahindra and determine the short term effects of share buyback. Due to excess cash reserves, share buyback has been a common phenomenon in Indian IT companies recently. We shall be taking into account changes in share prices after the buyback announcement. Our analysis will include studying the effects on factors like price volatility, excess returns and value created for the companies, after share buyback.