signal

Signal

To convey information through a firm's actions. The more costly it is to provide a signal, the more credibility it has. For example, to call a press conference and tell everyone that the firm's prospects have improved is less effective than saying the same thing and raising the dividend.

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signal

To provide information to. For example, an unexpected dividend increase may signal investors that a firm's directors are more optimistic about future profits than previously thought. Likewise, the announcement of a new equity issue may signal investors that directors consider a firm's stock to be fully valued.