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Are CFOs’ Trades More Informative Than CEOs’ Trades?

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  • Wang, Weimin
  • Shin, Yong-Chul
  • Francis, Bill B.

Abstract

We investigate whether trades made by chief financial officers (CFOs) reveal more information about future stock returns than those by chief executive officers (CEOs). We find that CFOs earn statistically and economically higher abnormal returns following their purchases of company shares than CEOs. During 1992–2002, CFOs earned an average 12-month excess return that is 5% higher than that by CEOs. The superior performance by CFOs occurs notwithstanding controls for risk factors and persists even after their trades are publicly disclosed. Further analysis shows that CFO purchases are associated with more positive future earnings surprises than CEO purchases, suggesting that CFOs incorporate better information about future earnings.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Weimin & Shin, Yong-Chul & Francis, Bill B., 2012. "Are CFOs’ Trades More Informative Than CEOs’ Trades?," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 47(4), pages 743-762, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jfinqa:v:47:y:2012:i:04:p:743-762_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Wang, Weimin & (Frank) Wang, Xu, 2014. "Predicting earnings in a poor information environment," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 10(1), pages 46-58.
    2. Duong, Lien & Evans, John, 2015. "CFO compensation: Evidence from Australia," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(PA), pages 425-443.
    3. Abu Chowdhury & Sabur Mollah & Mir A. Zaman, 2018. "What Motivates CEO and CFO Trading – Contrarian Beliefs or Superior Information?," Working Papers 2018-10, Swansea University, School of Management.
    4. Doan, Trang & Iskandar-Datta, Mai, 2020. "Are female top executives more risk-averse or more ethical? Evidence from corporate cash holdings policy," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 161-176.
    5. Chowdhury, Abu & Mollah, Sabur & Al Farooque, Omar, 2018. "Insider-trading, discretionary accruals and information asymmetry," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 341-363.
    6. Cline, Brandon N. & Posylnaya, Valeriya V., 2019. "Illegal insider trading: Commission and SEC detection," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 247-269.
    7. Alderson, Michael J. & Betker, Brian L. & Halford, Joseph T., 2017. "Are managers paid for better levels of pension funding?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 25-33.
    8. Dai, Yunhao & Chao, Yang & Wang, Li, 2021. "The brain gain of CFOs in China: The case of analyst forecasts," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    9. Sarfraz Khan & Elaine Mauldin, 2021. "Benefit or burden? A comparison of CFO and CEO outside directorships," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(7-8), pages 1175-1214, July.
    10. Nivelleau De La Brunière, Stanislas & Haye, Jean-Come & Mazza, Paolo, 2020. "The performance of corporate legal insiders on the French stock market," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    11. Yonghong Jia & Xinghua Gao, 2021. "Is managerial rent extraction associated with tax aggressiveness? Evidence from informed insider trading," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 423-452, February.
    12. Mobbs, Shawn, 2018. "Firm CFO board membership and departures," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 316-331.
    13. Duong, Lien & Evans, John, 2016. "Gender differences in compensation and earnings management: Evidence from Australian CFOs," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 40(PA), pages 17-35.
    14. Hillier, David & Korczak, Adriana & Korczak, Piotr, 2015. "The impact of personal attributes on corporate insider trading," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 150-167.
    15. Zhang, Rachel Xi, 2023. "Do Managers learn from institutional investors through direct interactions?," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(2).

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