<p>The shareholder is supposed to be indifferent if one share costs 100 SEK, or 10 shares cost 10 SEK each. In an efficient market, shares should be valued directly to new expectations as a result of the announcement of the reverse split. We investigate whether abnormal returns incur surrounding reverse split and if owner structure change.</p><p>One reason for the reverse share split is that most companies have plans to imple-ment other company’s specific events in order to survive rather than to change the price range to a more attractive level. We found a negative return in the ex-day at 8,1 per cent. When the ex-day is pure enough from other price driving information should the outcome be a reaction to how the market perceives changes in future divi-dends after the reverse split. In consideration of stock ownership of votes accounted for a reduction of individual owners, and increasing institutional owners, more in companies with low Market to Book. This may suggest that the institutional share-holders have increased their share of votes to increase their power in the companies.</p>

Den här uppsatsen behandlar företag som är listade på Stockholmsbörsen som gjorde omvänd split mellan 1995 och 2004. Företagen är testade för abnormal avkastning kring tillkännagivandet av den omvända spliten, samt förändringar i köp-sälj ratio, handels volym och antalet handelsdagar där ingen handel skedde i aktien. Inga abnormala avkastningar eller signifikanta förändringar i köp-sälj ration eller handelsvolymen kunde hittas. Däremot så visar förändringen i antalet handelsdagar utan handel i aktien en försämring och antalet handelsdagar minskade i de aktier som genomgått en omvänd split. Detta medför att likviditeten minskade för de företag som genomförde en omvänd split. / This paper addresses reverse splits for firms trading on the Stockholm stock exchange between 1995 and 2004. The related sample are tested for abnormal returns surrounding the announcement day of the reverse split, as well as any changes in bid-ask spread, trading volume and the number of non-trading days. No findings of abnormal returns or significant changes in either bid-ask spread or trading volume could be found, while the number of non-trading days for the whole sample increased. This may suggest that the marketability decreased for the reverse splitting firms.

<p>Den här uppsatsen behandlar företag som är listade på Stockholmsbörsen som gjorde omvänd split mellan 1995 och 2004. Företagen är testade för abnormal avkastning kring tillkännagivandet av den omvända spliten, samt förändringar i köp-sälj ratio, handels volym och antalet handelsdagar där ingen handel skedde i aktien. Inga abnormala avkastningar eller signifikanta förändringar i köp-sälj ration eller handelsvolymen kunde hittas. Däremot så visar förändringen i antalet handelsdagar utan handel i aktien en försämring och antalet handelsdagar minskade i de aktier som genomgått en omvänd split. Detta medför att likviditeten minskade för de företag som genomförde en omvänd split.</p> / <p>This paper addresses reverse splits for firms trading on the Stockholm stock exchange between 1995 and 2004. The related sample are tested for abnormal returns surrounding the announcement day of the reverse split, as well as any changes in bid-ask spread, trading volume and the number of non-trading days. No findings of abnormal returns or significant changes in either bid-ask spread or trading volume could be found, while the number of non-trading days for the whole sample increased. This may suggest that the marketability decreased for the reverse splitting firms.</p>

The shareholder is supposed to be indifferent if one share costs 100 SEK, or 10 shares cost 10 SEK each. In an efficient market, shares should be valued directly to new expectations as a result of the announcement of the reverse split. We investigate whether abnormal returns incur surrounding reverse split and if owner structure change. One reason for the reverse share split is that most companies have plans to imple-ment other company’s specific events in order to survive rather than to change the price range to a more attractive level. We found a negative return in the ex-day at 8,1 per cent. When the ex-day is pure enough from other price driving information should the outcome be a reaction to how the market perceives changes in future divi-dends after the reverse split. In consideration of stock ownership of votes accounted for a reduction of individual owners, and increasing institutional owners, more in companies with low Market to Book. This may suggest that the institutional share-holders have increased their share of votes to increase their power in the companies.