--My "common sense" tells me the company is flooding the market with shares.--
Here is an alternate scenario:
Pbls signs an acquisition deal with xyz. The deal is sealed with preferred shares. The principles of xyz go into the open market and load up on pbls common, in addition to their preferred--the Co is going places, why not? Then the deal gets dissolved or canceled, and the principles dump their common shares. PA, anticipating this, sets a 3 cent buyback to give them, (and us) a less bumpy ride. For whatever reason, that doesn't work, maybe becuase the jilted xyz guys want to punish the share price, who knows. Anyway here we are. At some point, the selling will dry up, and away we go. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!! It certainly makes more sense than emtee's explanation.
"I didn't say it was your fault...I said I was going to blame you!"
Regards, Kent.