Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Prior to 30 June 1999 companies in South Africa were not allowed to buy back their own shares. Amendments to the Companies Act, the Companies Amendment Act (Act 37 of 1999) radically changed the philosophy around capital maintenance. The result of this amendment is that a company is allowed to buy back its own shares and finance the backbuying of its shares under certain circumstances. A sample of 140 companies listed on the Johannesburg Securities Exchange for the period 2000 to 2005 was selected. The backbuying of shares by the relevant company, subsidiary and trust was analysed for the period 2000 to 2005. For the purposes of this empirical study, the financial sector, as well as the alternative exchange, that is focussed on good quality small and medium-sized high growth companies, were excluded during sample selection. The outcome of this exploratory study is the identification of the fact that a share buyback took place or not in Tables 4.1 and 4.2; a summary of the number of shares bought back in Table 4.3; and, in Table 4.4, a summary of the number of shares bought back, expressed as a percentage of the weighted average number of shares in issue. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Maatskappye in Suid-Afrika was voor 30 Junie 1999 deur die Maatskappywet verbied om hul eie aandele terug te koop. Wysigings aan die Maatskappywet, naamlik die Wysigingswet op Maatskappye (wet 37 van 1999) het ’n radikale verandering bewerkstellig in die filosofie rakende kapitaalinstandhouding. Die gevolg van dié wysigingswetgewing is dat maatskappye sedert 30 Junie 1999 hul eie aandele kan terugkoop en in sekere omstandighede die aankoop van hul eie aandele finansier. ’n Steekproef van 140 genoteerde maatskappye op die Johannesburgse Aandelebeurs is geselekteer vir die tydperk 2000 tot 2005. Die terugkooptransaksies van aandele deur die betrokke maatskappy, filiaal en trust is opgesom vir die tydperk 2000 tot 2005. Hierdie empiriese ondersoek het die finansiële sektor, asook die alternatiewe beurs van die Johannesburgse Aandelebeurs, wat fokus op goeie kwaliteit klein en mediumgrootte maatskappye met groot groeipotensiaal, tydens die steekproefseleksie uitgesluit. Die resultate van hierdie empiriese ondersoek is die identifisering en opsomming van die terugkooptransaksies van aandele vir die steekproef in Tabelle 4.1 en 4.2; ’n opsomming in Tabel 4.3 van die getal aandele teruggekoop; en ’n opsomming in Tabel 4.4 van die getal aandele teruggekoop, uitgedruk as ’n persentasie van die gemiddelde getal uitgereikte aandele.

Recent increases in stock repurchases among U.S. corporations coupled with a historically low cost of debt since the Global Financial Crisis has created media speculation that firms in recent years are paying for their expanding share buyback programs with debt. Repurchasing stock by increasing leverage, instead of using internal funds, implies that managers may speculate on current low interest rate environments at the expense of shareholders. Recent studies find that stock repurchases are associated with reductions in future firm employment and investments such as capital expenditures and research and development expenses. This study expands on prior studies by evaluating how debt-financed stock repurchases affect firm investment, investigating the likelihood of these repurchases in low interest rate environments and assessing the effects on firm value. Results confirm that, in recent years, debt-financed repurchases have increased substantially and the probability of debt-financed repurchases increases in the presence of low interest rates. This relationship is especially pronounced in the years following the Global Financial Crisis. Debt-financed repurchases are associated with small reductions in firm investment; however, these reductions are significantly less after adjusting for industry conditions. Finally, there is little evidence that the method of financing repurchases affects firm value nor does it increase a firm's operating performance.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Repurchasing of shares by South African companies were legalised on 1 July 1999. This introduced an alternative to dividends for distributing cash to shareholders. Although dividends and share repurchases realise the same value in a perfect efficient market, the inefficiencies of the South African stock market require managers to carefully evaluate factors like taxation and stock price valuation when selecting appropriate distribution methods. This research report aims to update shareholder distribution trends for industrial JSE listed companies over the past 10 years in order to determine the impact of share repurchases on dividend payouts. Furthermore, this research report examines the factors that may have had an impact on shareholder distribution choices in order to provide some guidelines for choosing appropriate distribution methods. An initial analysis of SENS share repurchase announcements revealed that 121 JSE listed companies repurchased about R50 billion worth of shares up to 30 June 2007. The bulk of the shares, 65% by value, were repurchased on the open market, while 35% was repurchased through specific fixed price offers. However, a comparison of accurate share repurchase data obtained from a sample of company annual reports, indicate that repurchase announcements understate actual repurchases by more than 20% on average. Further analysis of distribution trends were therefore based on actual repurchase data published in annual reports rather than SENS announcements. After the legalisation of share repurchases in South Africa, a decline in dividend paying companies was expected similar to that experienced by the United States since the 80's. However, a detailed analysis of 132 industrial listed companies indicated that the proportion of dividend paying companies increased from a level of 50% to almost 75% since the introduction of share repurchases. On the other hand, the proportion of companies repurchasing shares initially rose to over 25%, but then declined to below 20% by 2007. Ordinary dividends are the dominant shareholder distribution choice with 64% of companies opting for this method. Open market share repurchases have been well adopted with 17% of companies using this method, while only 5% and 4% of companies using special dividends or specific repurchases respectively. Dividends paid out of share premium (capital distributions) have also emerged as a favourite over recent years with almost 20% of companies using this shareholder distribution method. Current tax legislation do not provide all the advantages usually enjoyed by share repurchases internationally and have largely prevented dividends from being substituted by share repurchases. The decline in share repurchases up to 2007 also indicates that share repurchases become less effective as share prices increase to overvalued levels. While tax implications and stock price valuation remain the dominant determinants of shareholder distribution choice, this study shows that shareholder diversity, dividend preferences, size of distribution, and BEE requirements also have significant influences on the choice of distribution method in the South African context. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die terugkoop van aandele deur Suid-Afrikaanse maatskappye is wettig sedert 1 Julie 1999. Dit het 'n alternatief tot dividende in werking gestel om kontant aan aandeelhouers uit te keer. Alhoewel dividende en aandele-terugkoop dieselfde waarde in 'n perfekte doeltreffende mark realiseer, vereis die tekortkominge van die Suid-Afrikaanse aandelemark dat bestuurders faktore soos belasting en aandeelpryswaardasie versigtig moet oorweeg tydens die keuse van geskikte uitkeringsmetodes. Die doelwit van hierdie navorsingsverslag is om die tendense van uitkerings aan aandeelhouers te hersien vir industriele JSE-genoteerde maatskappye oor die laaste 10 jaar om sodoende die effek van aandele-terugkope op dividenduitbetalings te bepaal. Verder ondersoek hierdie navorsingsverslag ook die faktore wat moonlik 'n invloed op aandeelhouers-uitkeringskeuses gehad het, om sodoende riglyne vir die keuse van geskikte uitkeringsmetodes saam te stel. 'n Voorlopige analise van SENS-terugkoopaankondigings toon dat 121 JSE-genoteerde maatskappye ongeveer R50 miljard se aandele teruggekoop het tot en met 30 Junie 2007. Die grootste gedeelte van hierdie aandele, 65% se waarde, is op die ope mark teruggekoop terwyl 35% deur spesifieke vasteprys terugkope verkry is. 'n Vergelyking met terugkoopsyfers wat uit 'n steekproef van maatskappyjaarverslae geneem is, dui egter daarop dat aankondigings die ware terugkope met gemiddeld 20% onderskat. Verdere ontleding van aandeelhouers-uitkeringstendense word derhalwe gebaseer op syfers wat in jaarverslae gepubliseer is, eerder as SENS-aankondigings. Na die wettiging van aandele-terugkoop in Suid-Afrika, is verwag dat dividenduitbetalings sou daal soortgelyk aan dit wat in die Verenigde State ondervind is sedert die 80's. Die ondersoek van 132 genoteerde industriele maatskappye toon egter dat die persentasie van maatskappye wat dividende betaal van 50% tot bykans 75% toegeneem het sedert aandele-terugkoop 'n beskikbare opsie is. In teenstelling hiermee, het die persentasie maatskappye wat aandele terugkoop aanvanklik tot 25% gestyg, maar sedertdien afgeneem tot onder 20% teen 2007. Gewone dividende is die gewildste aandeelhouers-uitkeringsmetode met 64% van maatskappye wat van hierdie metode gebruik maak. Aandele-terugkope op die ope mark is goed verteenwoordig met 17% van maatskappye wat van hierdie metode gebruik gemaak het, terwyl slegs 5% en 4% van maatskappye onderskeidelik van spesiale dividende en spesifieke aandele-terugkope gebruik gemaak het. Dividende uit aandelepremie (kapitaaluitkerings) het ook na vore getree as 'n gunsteling keuse in die laaste paar jaar met bykans 20% van maatskappye wat hierdie uitkeringsmetode gebruik het. Huidige belastingswetgewing bied nie al die belastingvoordele aan aandele-terugkope wat normaalweg deur internasionale maatskappye benut word nie en het grotendeels verhoed dat dividende deur aandele-terugkoop vervang is. Die afname in aandeleterugkope tot en met 2007 is ook 'n aanduiding dat dit minder effektief raak soos wat aandeelpryse oor gewaardeerde vlakke styg. Terwyl belasting-oorwegings en aandeelpryswaardasies steeds die dominante drywers van aandeelhouersuitkeringskeuses bly, bevind hierdie studie dat faktore soos aandeelhouers se diversiteit, dividendvoorkeure, grootte van uitkerings, en vereistes van swart ekonomiese bemagtiging ook 'n noemenswaardige invloed op uitkeringskeuses binne die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks het.

The capital maintenance doctrine presupposes that a company’s capital must not be returned to its shareholders. The doctrine was anchored on three rules, one of which was that a company cannot acquire its own shares as this amounted to a diversion of capital to the shareholders whose shares were acquired. This rule was partly rationalized as protecting the interests of shareholders. In South Africa the rule was embodied in s 85 of the Companies Act 61 of 1973. However, it was amended by s 9 of the subsequent Companies Amendment Act 37 of 1999 to provide that a company can acquire its own shares if certain substantive and procedural requirements were satisfied. Upon the enactment of Companies Act 71 of 2008, the requirements have not been substantially altered. They are partly geared towards protecting shareholders by ensuring that shareholders are treated equally and fairly. Moreover, the Johannesburg Securities Exchange Limited (hence the JSE Limited) was empowered by the Companies Act 61 of 1973 to promulgate requirements to be met when a company wishes to acquire its own shares. The Companies Act 71 of 2008 does not in express terms empower the JSE Limited to develop requirements to be met when a company wishes to acquire its own shares. However, the Act expressly requires that a listed company wishing to acquire its own shares must also comply with the requirements of the relevant exchange. Such requirements can therefore be deemed to subsist even amidst the new Act as an internal regulation of the JSE Limited. The said requirements are also partly aimed at protecting shareholders, largely by ensuring that adequate information is availed to shareholders to empower them to make informed decisions. / Private Law / LL. M. (Company Law)

This dissertation uses a Sociological approach to analyse the risks associated with the practice of securities lending. Risks are those factors that inhibit the development of trust, and trust is essential for people to participate in financial transactions like securities lending. In this dissertation we show that, although there are a number of risks, individual and systemic, that are associated with securities lending, practitioners have, over time, developed an array of risk management procedures and practices to keep these risks at acceptable levels. Securities lending is however not practiced in a vacuum and the relevance of these risk management procedures is largely determined by the cultural environment in which it is practised. Values, norms and sanctions are crucial as social controls over behaviour that transpires in social structures. The presence of structural conditions necessary for the development of a culture of extreme opportunism is shown as arguably the greatest source of risk facing those who participate in financial transactions like securities lending. / Sociology / M.A.

This dissertation uses a Sociological approach to analyse the risks associated with the practice of securities lending. Risks are those factors that inhibit the development of trust, and trust is essential for people to participate in financial transactions like securities lending. In this dissertation we show that, although there are a number of risks, individual and systemic, that are associated with securities lending, practitioners have, over time, developed an array of risk management procedures and practices to keep these risks at acceptable levels. Securities lending is however not practiced in a vacuum and the relevance of these risk management procedures is largely determined by the cultural environment in which it is practised. Values, norms and sanctions are crucial as social controls over behaviour that transpires in social structures. The presence of structural conditions necessary for the development of a culture of extreme opportunism is shown as arguably the greatest source of risk facing those who participate in financial transactions like securities lending. / Sociology / M.A.

The Companies Act 71 of 2008 (“2008 Companies Act”) will have far reaching effects on the manner in which a company is formed and operated under South African company law and in particular entrenches the procedure that must be followed by a company when acquiring its own shares. The radical amendment of the capital maintenance rules by the introduction of the solvency and liquidity tests to the Companies Act 61 of 1973 has been carried forward under the 2008 Companies Act. These tests impose an obligation on a company to ensure that the company is both solvent and liquid at the time of the acquisition of its own shares and for a stated period thereafter. The 2008 Companies Act further brings the duties and liabilities of the directors in line with their current fiduciary duties in terms of common law. / Mercantile Law / LLM

The Companies Act 71 of 2008 (“2008 Companies Act”) will have far reaching effects on the manner in which a company is formed and operated under South African company law and in particular entrenches the procedure that must be followed by a company when acquiring its own shares. The radical amendment of the capital maintenance rules by the introduction of the solvency and liquidity tests to the Companies Act 61 of 1973 has been carried forward under the 2008 Companies Act. These tests impose an obligation on a company to ensure that the company is both solvent and liquid at the time of the acquisition of its own shares and for a stated period thereafter. The 2008 Companies Act further brings the duties and liabilities of the directors in line with their current fiduciary duties in terms of common law. / Mercantile Law / LLM

This paper examines the different share valuation methods and principles likely to be used by a court in determining the fair value of dissenting shareholders’ shares in appraisal proceedings in terms of section 164(14) of the Companies Act 2008. It is submitted that the valuation principles and methods used by the courts will affect the operation of the triggering actions contemplated in subsections 164(2)(a) - (b). It is proposed that section 164 court appraisals are likely to be guided by the valuation methods and principles developed in section 252 and section 440K court appraisals under the Companies Act 1973, as well as by the decisions of the courts in the state of Delaware relating to share valuations under the appraisal remedy. It is further proposed that the purpose ascribed to the appraisal remedy will influence the application of these valuation methods and principles. / Mercantile Law / LL.M. (Corporate law)

This paper examines the different share valuation methods and principles likely to be used by a court in determining the fair value of dissenting shareholders’ shares in appraisal proceedings in terms of section 164(14) of the Companies Act 2008. It is submitted that the valuation principles and methods used by the courts will affect the operation of the triggering actions contemplated in subsections 164(2)(a) - (b). It is proposed that section 164 court appraisals are likely to be guided by the valuation methods and principles developed in section 252 and section 440K court appraisals under the Companies Act 1973, as well as by the decisions of the courts in the state of Delaware relating to share valuations under the appraisal remedy. It is further proposed that the purpose ascribed to the appraisal remedy will influence the application of these valuation methods and principles. / Mercantile Law / LL. M. (Corporate law)