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Evidence of strategic information uncertainty around opportunistic insider purchases

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  • Rahman, Dewan
  • Oliver, Barry
  • Faff, Robert

Abstract

We investigate whether CEOs strategically increase information uncertainty surrounding their insider stock purchases. We find that in the month before and during CEO stock purchases, information uncertainty in their news releases increases, which correlates with lower stock prices. This finding is not evident in the month after insider purchases and thus suggests CEOs’ strategic behavior. Our key findings of strategic information uncertainty are confirmed using multi-faceted fixed effects regressions, a quasi-natural experimental design, and numerous other robustness checks.

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  • Rahman, Dewan & Oliver, Barry & Faff, Robert, 2020. "Evidence of strategic information uncertainty around opportunistic insider purchases," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:117:y:2020:i:c:s0378426620300881
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2020.105821
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    Cited by:

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    2. Batten, Jonathan A. & Lončarski, Igor & Szilagyi, Peter G., 2021. "Strategic insider trading in foreign exchange markets," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    3. Baochen Yang & Yifang Liu & Yunpeng Su, 2023. "Earnings communication conferences and post‐earnings‐announcement drift: Evidence from China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(2), pages 2145-2185, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Insider trading; Information uncertainty; Opportunistic CEOs;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance

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