MINNEAPOLIS, Jul 28, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) --

Piper Jaffray Companies (NYSE: PJC) today announced that its board of directors has authorized the repurchase of up to $75 million of the company's outstanding common stock. The principal purpose of the share repurchase program is to offset the dilutive effect of employee equity-based compensation. The authorization expires September 30, 2012. As of July 28, 2010, Piper Jaffray Companies had 20.0 million common shares outstanding.

About Piper Jaffray
Piper Jaffray Companies (NYSE: PJC) is a leading, international investment bank and institutional securities firm, serving the needs of corporations, private equity groups, public entities, nonprofit clients and institutional investors. Founded in 1895, Piper Jaffray provides a broad set of products and services, including equity and debt capital markets products; public finance services; financial advisory services; equity and fixed-income institutional brokerage; equity research and fixed income analytics; and asset management services. Piper Jaffray headquarters are located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with offices across the U.S. and in London and Hong Kong. Piper Jaffray & Co. is the firm's principal operating subsidiary. (www.piperjaffray.com)

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release and the conference call to discuss the contents of this press release contain forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical or current facts, including statements about beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. These forward-looking statements cover, among other things, statements made about our share repurchase plans, our liquidity and capital resources or other similar matters. These statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both known and unknown, and important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or discussed in the forward-looking statements, including (1) our ability to effect the repurchase program depends in part upon our results of operations and profitability and may be impacted by negative operating conditions, (2) an inability to access capital readily or on terms favorable to us could impair our ability to effect the repurchase program, and (3) the other factors described under "Risk Factors" in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009 and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in Part II, Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, and updated in our subsequent reports filed with the SEC (available at our Web site at www.piperjaffray.com and at the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov). Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on them. We undertake no obligation to update them in light of new information or future events.

© 2010 Piper Jaffray & Co., 800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 800, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-7020

SOURCE: Piper Jaffray Companies

Piper Jaffray Companies
Jennifer A. Olson-Goude, 612 303-6277
Investor and Media Relations