About Corporate Buybacks

The Corporate Buybacks dataset by Smart Insider tracks US Equities share buyback programs. The data covers 3,000 US Equities, starts in May 2015, and is delivered on a second frequency. This dataset is created by analyzing daily buyback announcements and by using secondary data sources to ensure records are accurate and complete.

This dataset depends on the US Equity Security Master dataset because the US Equity Security Master dataset contains information on splits, dividends, and symbol changes.


About Smart Insider

Smart Insider was founded by Michael Tindale in 2016 with the goal of forming the most progressive insider data vendor in the field. Smart Insider provides access to buyback intention and transactions for quantitative researchers. In addition to their Corporate Buybacks dataset, Smart Insider provides data on stock trades made by US politicians and thousands of high net worth individuals around the globe.


About QuantConnect

QuantConnect was founded in 2012 to serve quants everywhere with the best possible algorithmic trading technology. Seeking to disrupt a notoriously closed-source industry, QuantConnect takes a radically open-source approach to algorithmic trading. Through the QuantConnect web platform, more than 50,000 quants are served every month.


Algorithm Example

from AlgorithmImports import *
from QuantConnect.DataSource import *

class CorporateBuybacksDataAlgorithm(QCAlgorithm):

    def initialize(self) -> None:
        self.set_start_date(2016, 1, 1)
        self.set_end_date(2021, 1, 1)
        self.set_cash(100000)
 
        self.aapl = self.add_equity("AAPL", Resolution.MINUTE).symbol
        
        # Requesting insider trade intention news and actual trades to estimate the return, since insiders may have better information of the future confidence
        self.smart_insider_intention = self.add_data(SmartInsiderIntention, self.aapl).symbol
        self.smart_insider_transaction = self.add_data(SmartInsiderTransaction, self.aapl).symbol
        
        # Historical data
        history = self.history(self.smart_insider_intention, 365, Resolution.DAILY)
        self.debug(f"We got {len(history)} items from our history request for intentions")
        
        history = self.history(self.smart_insider_transaction, 365, Resolution.DAILY)
        self.debug(f"We got {len(history)} items from our history request for transactions")

    def on_data(self, slice: Slice) -> None:
        # Buy Apple whenever we receive a buyback intention or transaction notification, given the insiders may have confidence in the future to buy more
        # This news may stimulate market popularity
        if slice.contains_key(self.smart_insider_intention) or slice.contains_key(self.smart_insider_transaction):
            self.set_holdings(self.aapl, 1)
            self.entry_time = self.time
        
        # Liquidate holdings 3 days after the latest entry
        # The market popularity and possible overbrought is cooled
        if self.portfolio.invested and self.time >= self.entry_time + timedelta(days=3):
            self.liquidate()

Example Applications

The Corporate Buybacks dataset enables you to design strategies using information on company buyback programs. Examples include the following strategies: