Are Stock Splits Credible Signals? Evidence from Short-Interest Data

Publication Date

4-16-2002

Abstract

We propose the change in short interest as a new metric of the signaling strength of a corporate event. If an event signals positive information, short interest should decline at the event announcement. We study short interest around stock split announcements made by NYSE firms during 1990-94. Short interest does not decline around stock splits, which suggests that the typical split does not convey a positive signal. However, short interest declines for the subset of the sample characterized by favorable industry-adjusted pre-split performance. Short interest increases significantly for firms that experience post-split liquidity improvements.

Document Type

Article

Disciplines

Finance

Source

SMU Cox: Finance (Topic)

Language

English

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