We compare contrarian to conformist advice, a expert being one whose preference bias is against the decision-maker’s prior optimal decision. Optimality of an depends on characteristics information and learning. If either fully informed or fine can be acquired cheaply, then for symmetric distributions F state, (contrarian) superior if single peaked (bimodal). only coarse acquired, acquires more ...

SUMMARY This paper examines whether and how firms’ engagement in related-party transactions (RPTs) is shaped by public communication of audit risks as required the expanded report. Using phased regulatory changes China a difference-in-differences design with firm fixed effects matching, we find that firms significantly reduce their RPTs after adoption reports (EARs). To investigate potential me...

We model digital platforms as attention brokers that have proprietary information about their users’ product preferences and sell targeted ad space to retail industries. Retail producers—incumbents or entrants—compete for access this bottleneck. discuss when increased concentration among results in a tightening of the bottleneck, leading higher prices, fewer ads being sold entrants, lower consu...

We examine the impact of small firms’ external growth strategy on their performance using unique data all French firms that went public between 2006 and 2014. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we find conducting acquisitions experience higher profitability than relying other modes. However, observe no effect sales growth. The results are robust to different robustness checks, includin...

We model two dimensions of bank globalization – bank nationality (a bank from the firm’s host nation, its home nation, or a third nation) and bank reach (a global, regional, or local bank) using a two-stage nested multinomial logit model. Our data set includes over 2,000 foreign affiliates of multinational corporations operating in 20 European nations. We find that these firms frequently use ho...

We predict and find that accounting restatements induce economically meaningful share price declines among non-restatement firms in the same industry. These price declines are most pronounced among non-restatement firms with low accounting quality, as measured by industry adjusted accruals. Our results are consistent with the notion that accounting restatements cause investors to reassess the c...

We define annual shareholder meetings as contentious if one or more ballot items are likely to obtain sufficient shareholder votes to induce a firm to implement governance changes. Using a sample of almost 28,000 meetings between 2003 and 2012, we find that abnormal stock returns over the 40-day period prior to contentious meetings are significantly positive and higher than prior to non-content...

Does the pre-deal geographic overlap of the subsidiaries and branches of two banks affect the probability that they merge and post-merger value creation and synergies? We compile comprehensive information on U.S. bank acquisitions from 1986 through 2014, construct several measures of network overlap, and design and implement a new identification strategy. We find that greater pre-deal network o...

We study how equity and debt contracts commit investors to discipline managers. Our model shows that the optimal allocation of debt, equity, and control rights depends on which disciplinary action is more efficient. When the efficient action is managerial replacement, then control rights should be allocated to equity holders, and capital structure should consist of equity and long-term debt. Wh...