Definition
Self-tender is the colloquial term for an issuer tender offer: a company-run tender to repurchase its own shares.
Why it matters
The plain-English label is widely used in financial press. The legal framework is Rule 13e-4 under the Exchange Act for public companies; private-company self-tenders rely on the same offer-to-purchase / letter-of-transmittal mechanics but with simpler regulatory filings (no Schedule TO).
Practical use
You’ll see “self-tender” used when:
- A public company runs a buyback structured as a tender (rather than open-market repurchases)
- A private company uses corporate cash to repurchase employee shares
- A company is going private and the controlling shareholder structures the transaction as a self-tender