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Class action lawsuits and executive stock option exercise

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  • Bradley, Daniel
  • Cline, Brandon N.
  • Lian, Qin

Abstract

In a large sample of shareholder initiated class action lawsuits from 1996 to 2011, we find a significant increase in informed insider option exercises during the class action period compared to the preceding quarter, and we find that this change is positively related to the probability of litigation. The market reaction to the announcement of lawsuits is negatively related to abnormal informed option exercises, but positively related to suits that ultimately get dismissed. These results suggest that the market can at least partially anticipate the merits and severity of the class action suit. In subsequent analyses, we find that CEO turnover is positively related to litigation, but not option exercises. Collectively, our results indicate that insiders knowingly trade on their private information.

Suggested Citation

  • Bradley, Daniel & Cline, Brandon N. & Lian, Qin, 2014. "Class action lawsuits and executive stock option exercise," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 157-172.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:corfin:v:27:y:2014:i:c:p:157-172
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2014.04.002
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    Cited by:

    1. Crutchley, Claire E. & Minnick, Kristina & Schorno, Patrick J., 2015. "When governance fails: Naming directors in class action lawsuits," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 81-96.
    2. Pham, Mia Hang, 2020. "In law we trust: Lawyer CEOs and stock liquidity," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    3. Laure de Batz & Evžen Kočenda & Evžen Kocenda, 2023. "Financial Crime and Punishment: A Meta-Analysis," CESifo Working Paper Series 10528, CESifo.
    4. Antonio Figueiredo & Shahid S. Hamid & Richard Holowczak, 2021. "Stock market signals and consequences of securities class actions lawsuits: a microstructure perspective," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 629-655, August.
    5. Nourhene BenYoussef & Saqib Khan, 2018. "Timing of earnings restatements: CEO equity compensation and market reaction," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 58(2), pages 341-365, June.
    6. Schantl, Stefan F. & Wagenhofer, Alfred, 2020. "Deterrence of financial misreporting when public and private enforcement strategically interact," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(1).
    7. 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.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Class action lawsuit; Insider trading; Private information; Executive stock options;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • K22 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Business and Securities Law

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