The interest shown in the study of the volatility of asset prices has been considerable for several years. In an important paper, Merton (1980) pointed out that a weakness of a significant number of empirical studies of asset returns is the failure to account for the effect of changes in the...

We investigate the impact of the stock-price formation process on payout policy using the Regulation SHO pilot program which removed short selling constraints and increased the prospect of short selling for a random sample of pilot firms. We find that pilot firms are more likely to increase...

We use the presence of a Wikipedia article for initial public offering (IPO) firms to test theories of information asymmetry and investor awareness. While we find limited support for the former, our results provide strong support for theories of investor awareness. Specifically, IPO firms with a...

Financial contracts are strongly influenced by the perception that transacting parties have of each other. Hence, if contracting counterparties such as banks perceive that there is a difference in the likelihood that CEOs with conservative and liberal political orientation will discharge their...

We analyze whether paying CEOs with inside debt (pensions and deferred compensation) benefits shareholders. We find that stock price reaction to initial revelation of inside debt information following the SEC amendment is significant and positive, albeit delayed. In the subsequent revelation of...

Earnings conference calls represent an important communication channel for investors to observe managerial behavior. We examine the impact of executive temperament using weather conditions at executive locations during these calls. Using a large sample of earnings conference calls from 2006 to...