Date of Award

5-2021

Degree Type

Creative Project

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Economics and Finance

Committee Chair(s)

Tyler Brough (Committee Chair)

Committee

Tyler Brough

Committee

Todd Griffith

Committee

Jared DeLisle

Abstract

I examine whether short selling increases around reverse stock splits using 2019 daily short selling data instead of bimonthly short interest data required by FINRA. In my difference-in-difference analysis, I find that average short selling increases significantly for firms that reverse split their stock, relative to matched control firms that do not, around the split dates. I also find that firms that reverse split their stock experience negative cumulative abnormal returns in the 20-day period after the reverse stock splits, particularly for those firms that are heavily shorted. These results are in agreeance with existent literature and suggest that short sellers are informed and correctly predict future negative abnormal returns. The results also suggest that short sellers put downward pressure on stock prices after reverse splits.

Share

COinS