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Governance under the Gun: Spillover Effects of Hedge Fund Activism

Author

Listed:
  • Nickolay Gantchev
  • Oleg R Gredil
  • Chotibhak Jotikasthira
Abstract
Hedge fund activism is associated with improvements in the governance and performance of targeted firms. In this article, we show that these positive effects of activism reach beyond the targets, as nontargeted peers make similar improvements under the threat of activism. Peers with higher threat perception, as measured by director connections to past targets, are more likely to increase leverage and payout, decrease capital expenditures and cash, and improve return on assets and asset turnover. As a result, their valuations improve, and their probability of being targeted declines. Our results are not explained by time-varying industry conditions or competition effects whereby improved targets force their product market rivals to become more competitive.

Suggested Citation

  • Nickolay Gantchev & Oleg R Gredil & Chotibhak Jotikasthira, 2019. "Governance under the Gun: Spillover Effects of Hedge Fund Activism," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 23(6), pages 1031-1068.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:revfin:v:23:y:2019:i:6:p:1031-1068.
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    3. Maffett, Mark & Nakhmurina, Anya & Skinner, Douglas J., 2022. "Importing activists: Determinants and consequences of increased cross-border shareholder activism," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(2).
    4. Dasgupta, Amil & Fos, Vyacheslav & Sautner, Zacharias, 2021. "Institutional investors and corporate governance," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 112114, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
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    6. von Lilienfeld-Toal, Ulf & Schnitzler, Jan, 2020. "The anatomy of block accumulations by activist shareholders," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    7. Johnson, Travis L. & Swem, Nathan, 2021. "Reputation and investor activism: A structural approach," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(1), pages 29-56.
    8. Whitler, Kimberly A. & Barta, Thomas, 2024. "The enterprise activism risk model: How good intentions can jeopardize business success," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 100(2), pages 330-340.
    9. Cvijanović, Dragana & Dasgupta, Amil & Zachariadis, Konstantinos E., 2022. "The Wall Street stampede: Exit as governance with interacting blockholders," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 144(2), pages 433-455.
    10. Fung, Simon Yu Kit & Jain, Ankit & Tiwari, Moumita, 2024. "Is more always better? Information acquisition and stock price crash risk," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 236(C).
    11. Feng, Felix Zhiyu & Xu, Qiping & Zhu, Caroline H., 2021. "Caught in the crossfire: How the threat of hedge fund activism affects creditors," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 128-143.
    12. Francis, Bill B. & Hasan, Iftekhar & Shen, Yinjie (Victor) & Wu, Qiang, 2021. "Do activist hedge funds target female CEOs? The role of CEO gender in hedge fund activism," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(1), pages 372-393.
    13. Kim, Sehoon, 2020. "Disappearing Discounts: Hedge Fund Activism in Conglomerates," MPRA Paper 100876, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Yongqiang Chu & Xinming Li & Daxuan Zhao, 2023. "Gender Diversity: From Wall Street to Main Street," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 188(1), pages 151-168, November.
    15. Gantchev, Nickolay & Sevilir, Merih & Shivdasani, Anil, 2020. "Activism and empire building," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(2), pages 526-548.
    16. Zhou, Fuzhao, 2023. "Auditors’ responses and whistleblowing allegations," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PB).
    17. Feng, Hongrui & Rao, Ramesh P., 2022. "The positive externalities of leveraged buyouts," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    18. Hege, Ulrich & Zhang, Yifei, 2022. "Activism Waves and the Market for Corporate Assets," TSE Working Papers 22-1397, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    19. Zhang, Shuran, 2021. "Directors’ career concerns: Evidence from proxy contests and board interlocks," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(3), pages 894-915.
    20. Bebchuk, Lucian A. & Brav, Alon & Jiang, Wei & Keusch, Thomas, 2020. "Dancing with activists," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(1), pages 1-41.
    21. Zhan Li, 2021. "The factor market spillover effects of shareholder activism," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 44(3), pages 671-689, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Shareholder activism; Corporate governance; Hedge funds; Institutional investors;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance

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