Abstract
In this study, we explore the influence of
market timing on insider trading and buy-and-hold
abnormal returns by the sample of Taiwan listed companies at stock exchange
market and the firms at over-the-counter (OTC) market from 2001 to 2016.
According to Dittmar and Field [7], we use the relative repurchase price (RRP)
to measure the strength of market timing abilities when firm repurchases its
own stock. We find that the stronger market timing ability is accompanied with
the greater insider net buying. Thus, insiders can indeed know the company’s
future information when firms repurchase. In addition, when market timing
abilities of the OTC firms are stronger, their insiders net buy transaction
have greater influence on future buy-and-hold returns. We also find that the
firm with smaller market value has lower credibility of stock repurchase, the
more information content of insider transaction and the more future buy-and-hold
abnormal return.
JEL classification numbers: G11, G14
Keywords: share
repurchase, market timing, insider trading, buy-and-hold
abnormal return.