MINNEAPOLIS, Apr 16, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Piper Jaffray Companies (NYSE: PJC) today announced that its board of directors has authorized the repurchase of up to $100 million of the company's outstanding common stock. The principal purpose of the share repurchase program is to manage the company's equity capital relative to the growth of its business and to offset the dilutive effect of employee equity-based compensation. The authorization expires June 30, 2010. As of March 10, 2008, Piper Jaffray Companies had 18.8 million common shares outstanding.

About Piper Jaffray

Piper Jaffray Companies is a leading, international middle-market investment bank and institutional securities firm, serving the needs of middle market corporations, private equity groups, public entities, nonprofit clients and institutional investors. Founded in 1895, Piper Jaffray provides a comprehensive set of products and services, including equity and debt capital markets products; public finance services; mergers and acquisitions advisory services; high-yield and structured products; institutional equity and fixed-income sales and trading; and equity and high-yield research. With headquarters in Minneapolis, Piper Jaffray has 25 offices across the United States and international locations in London and Shanghai. Piper Jaffray & Co. is the firm's principal operating subsidiary. (NYSE: PJC) (http://www.piperjaffray.com)

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains 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 general economic and market conditions, our current deal pipelines, the environment and prospects for capital markets transactions and activity, management expectations, anticipated financial results, the expected benefits of acquisitions, expectations regarding the size of inventory positions for certain municipal products, 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) market and economic conditions or developments may be unfavorable, including in specific sectors in which we operate, and these conditions or developments (including market fluctuations or volatility) may adversely affect the environment for capital markets transactions and activity and our business and profitability, (2) the volume of anticipated investment banking transactions as reflected in our deal pipelines (and the net revenues we earn from such transactions) may differ from expected results if any transactions are delayed or not completed at all or if the terms of any transactions are modified, (3) acquisitions may not yield the benefits we anticipate or yield them within expected timeframes, (4) we may not be able to compete successfully with other companies in the financial services industry, (5) an inability to readily divest or transfer inventory positions of certain municipal products may result in future inventory levels that differ from management's expectations and potential financial losses from a decline in value of illiquid positions, and (6) 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, 2006 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, 2007, 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.

(C) 2008 Piper Jaffray & Co., 800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 800, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402-7020

SOURCE: Piper Jaffray Companies

Piper Jaffray Companies
Investor Relations:
Jennifer A. Olson-Goude, 612-303-6277
or
Media Relations:
Rob Litt, 612-303-8266