IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/finrev/v60y2025i3p1085-1116.html

Stock crash risk and the independent board leadership structure

Author

Listed:
  • Edward Lawrence
  • Thanh Nguyen
  • Benedikt Wick

Abstract

We find that the independent board leadership structure, where an independent director holds the board chairperson position, significantly reduces stock crash risk, especially in firms with high monitoring needs. Firms with this board structure appoint more financial experts to their audit committees, undergo fewer earnings restatements, and exhibit fewer unexpected negative earnings releases. Such firms are also more likely to replace CEOs if the firm experiences a stock crash. Our findings underscore the critical role of independent board leadership in mitigating stock crash risk, bolstering the argument for its broader adoption in corporate governance.

Suggested Citation

  • Edward Lawrence & Thanh Nguyen & Benedikt Wick, 2025. "Stock crash risk and the independent board leadership structure," The Financial Review, Eastern Finance Association, vol. 60(3), pages 1085-1116, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:finrev:v:60:y:2025:i:3:p:1085-1116
    DOI: 10.1111/fire.12440
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/fire.12440
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/fire.12440?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Brickley, James A. & Coles, Jeffrey L. & Jarrell, Gregg, 1997. "Leadership structure: Separating the CEO and Chairman of the Board," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 3(3), pages 189-220, June.
    2. Sun, Liang, 2023. "Internal alliance and firm risk," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    3. Chen, Joseph & Hong, Harrison & Stein, Jeremy C., 2001. "Forecasting crashes: trading volume, past returns, and conditional skewness in stock prices," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(3), pages 345-381, September.
    4. Yang, Tina & Zhao, Shan, 2014. "CEO duality and firm performance: Evidence from an exogenous shock to the competitive environment," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 534-552.
    5. Juan Ma & Tarun Khanna, 2016. "Independent directors' dissent on boards: Evidence from listed companies in China," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(8), pages 1547-1557, August.
    6. Xu, Lin & Rao, Yulei & Cheng, Yingmei & Wang, Jianxin, 2020. "Internal coalition and stock price crash risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    7. Douglas Staiger & James H. Stock, 1997. "Instrumental Variables Regression with Weak Instruments," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 65(3), pages 557-586, May.
    8. Duchin, Ran & Matsusaka, John G. & Ozbas, Oguzhan, 2010. "When are outside directors effective?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(2), pages 195-214, May.
    9. Li, Yiwei & Zeng, Yeqin, 2019. "The impact of top executive gender on asset prices: Evidence from stock price crash risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 528-550.
    10. Al Mamun, Md & Balachandran, Balasingham & Duong, Huu Nhan, 2020. "Powerful CEOs and stock price crash risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    11. Hutton, Amy P. & Marcus, Alan J. & Tehranian, Hassan, 2009. "Opaque financial reports, R2, and crash risk," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(1), pages 67-86, October.
    12. Jin, Hong-min & Su, Zhong-qin & Wang, Lu & Xiao, Zuoping, 2022. "Do academic independent directors matter? Evidence from stock price crash risk," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 1129-1148.
    13. Liu, Yang & Zhang, Qianqian & Li, Jinda, 2023. "The informal hierarchy of board and stock price crash risk," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PC).
    14. S. P. Kothari & Susan Shu & Peter D. Wysocki, 2009. "Do Managers Withhold Bad News?," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 47(1), pages 241-276, March.
    15. Hassan, M. Kabir & Houston, Reza & Karim, M.Sydul & Sabit, Ahmed, 2023. "CEO duality and firm performance during the 2020 coronavirus outbreak," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 27(C).
    16. Xiao-Li Gong & Yi-Wei Li & Jin-Yan Lu & Yong-Kang Feng, 2023. "Independent director network, agency costs and stock price crash risk," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(2), pages 2177697-217, July.
    17. Ronald C. Anderson & David M. Reeb & Arun Upadhyay & Wanli Zhao, 2011. "The Economics of Director Heterogeneity," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 40(1), pages 5-38, March.
    18. Lucian Bebchuk & Alma Cohen & Allen Ferrell, 2009. "What Matters in Corporate Governance?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 22(2), pages 783-827, February.
    19. Chang, Xin & Chen, Yangyang & Zolotoy, Leon, 2017. "Stock Liquidity and Stock Price Crash Risk," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 52(4), pages 1605-1637, August.
    20. Lawrence, Edward R. & Nguyen, Dung T. & Upadhyay, Arun, 2021. "Are US founding families expropriators or stewards? Evidence from quasi-natural experiment," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    21. Rajkovic, Tijana, 2020. "Lead independent directors and investment efficiency," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    22. Krishnamurti, Chandrasekhar & Chowdhury, Hasibul & Han, Hien Duc, 2021. "CEO centrality and stock price crash risk," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(C).
    23. Thanh Dung Nguyen & Thuong Harvison & Ali Ashraf, 2024. "Unveil the benefit of independent leadership structure on employee welfare," International Journal of Managerial Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 20(5), pages 1244-1268, April.
    24. Coles, Jeffrey L. & Daniel, Naveen D. & Naveen, Lalitha, 2008. "Boards: Does one size fit all," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(2), pages 329-356, February.
    25. Faleye, Olubunmi & Hoitash, Rani & Hoitash, Udi, 2011. "The costs of intense board monitoring," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(1), pages 160-181, July.
    26. Florian S. Peters & Alexander F. Wagner, 2014. "The Executive Turnover Risk Premium," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 69(4), pages 1529-1563, August.
    27. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 2008. "Theory of the firm: managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," RAE - Revista de Administração de Empresas, FGV-EAESP Escola de Administração de Empresas de São Paulo (Brazil), vol. 48(2), April.
    28. Dirk Jenter & Fadi Kanaan, 2015. "CEO Turnover and Relative Performance Evaluation," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 70(5), pages 2155-2184, October.
    29. Jeong†Bon Kim & Zheng Wang & Liandong Zhang, 2016. "CEO Overconfidence and Stock Price Crash Risk," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 33(4), pages 1720-1749, December.
    30. Kim, Jeong-Bon & Li, Yinghua & Zhang, Liandong, 2011. "CFOs versus CEOs: Equity incentives and crashes," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(3), pages 713-730, September.
    31. Masulis, Ronald W. & Mobbs, Shawn, 2014. "Independent director incentives: Where do talented directors spend their limited time and energy?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(2), pages 406-429.
    32. Huang, Jiekun & Kisgen, Darren J., 2013. "Gender and corporate finance: Are male executives overconfident relative to female executives?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(3), pages 822-839.
    33. repec:bla:jfinan:v:59:y:2004:i:4:p:1777-1804 is not listed on IDEAS
    34. Balsam, Steven & Puthenpurackal, John & Upadhyay, Arun, 2016. "The Determinants and Performance Impact of Outside Board Leadership," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 51(4), pages 1325-1358, August.
    35. Mitchell A. Petersen, 2009. "Estimating Standard Errors in Finance Panel Data Sets: Comparing Approaches," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 22(1), pages 435-480, January.
    36. Kim, Jeong-Bon & Li, Yinghua & Zhang, Liandong, 2011. "Corporate tax avoidance and stock price crash risk: Firm-level analysis," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(3), pages 639-662, June.
    37. Lawrence, Edward R. & Nguyen, Thanh D. & Upadhyay, Arun, 2024. "Independence of board leadership of acquirers and the success of mergers and acquisitions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    38. Stein, Luke C.D. & Zhao, Hong, 2019. "Independent executive directors: How distraction affects their advisory and monitoring roles," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 199-223.
    39. Sila, Vathunyoo & Gonzalez, Angelica & Hagendorff, Jens, 2017. "Independent director reputation incentives and stock price informativeness," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 219-235.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xiaohua Fang & Claudia Girardone & Yiwei Li & Yeqin Zeng, 2025. "Generalist CEOs and stock price crash risk," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(1), pages 182-221, February.
    2. Gholami, Amir & Elnahas, Ahmed, 2025. "The dark side of CEO inside debt: Evidence from stock price crash risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    3. Chen, Yangyang & Fan, Qingliang & Yang, Xin & Zolotoy, Leon, 2021. "CEO early-life disaster experience and stock price crash risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    4. Richardson, Grant & Obaydin, Ivan & Liu, Chelsea, 2022. "The effect of accounting fraud on future stock price crash risk," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    5. Jiang, Kangqi & Du, Xinyi & Chen, Zhongfei, 2022. "Firms' digitalization and stock price crash risk," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    6. Xing, Jieli & Zhang, Yongjie & Xiong, Xiong, 2023. "Social capital, independent director connectedness, and stock price crash risk," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 786-804.
    7. Pham, Man Duy (Marty) & Nguyen, Thu Ha, 2024. "When a gift resembles a trojan horse: CEO stock gift and stock price crash risk," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(4).
    8. Jin, Hong-min & Su, Zhong-qin & Wang, Lu & Xiao, Zuoping, 2022. "Do academic independent directors matter? Evidence from stock price crash risk," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 1129-1148.
    9. Yu Jin & Rui Wang & Yi Zhang & Zhongze Li, 2024. "Does the presence of executives with a marketing background affect stock price crash risk?," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 64(5), pages 4749-4769, December.
    10. Kim, Jeong-Bon & Liao, Shushu & Liu, Yangke, 2021. "Married CEOs and Stock Price Crash Risk," QBS Working Paper Series 2021/09, Queen's University Belfast, Queen's Business School.
    11. Li, Ziyang & Chen, Yanjun & Li, Yanlin, 2023. "Top management abnormal turnover and stock price crash risk: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    12. Harakeh, Mostafa & Leventis, Stergios & El Masri, Tarek & Tsileponis, Nikolaos, 2023. "The moderating role of board gender diversity on the relationship between firm opacity and stock returns," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 55(4).
    13. Hao, Jing & Sun, Ran & Gong, Xu & Zhu, Xiaoyu (Ross), 2025. "ESG and stock price crash risk revisited: Evidence from mandatory ESG disclosure policy in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    14. Qiao, Lu & Adegbite, Emmanuel & Nguyen, Tam Huy, 2022. "Chief financial officer overconfidence and stock price crash risk," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    15. Li, Yiwei & Zeng, Yeqin, 2019. "The impact of top executive gender on asset prices: Evidence from stock price crash risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 528-550.
    16. Wadhwa, Kavita & Goodell, John W., 2024. "Political uncertainty and stock price crash risk: Insights from state-elections in an emerging market," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PB).
    17. Krishnamurti, Chandrasekhar & Chowdhury, Hasibul & Han, Hien Duc, 2021. "CEO centrality and stock price crash risk," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(C).
    18. San, Ziyao & Wang, Shuai & Xiu, Zongfeng & Zhou, Ling & Zhou, Zejiang, 2025. "Political control, corporate governance and stock-price crash risk: Evidence from China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    19. Hongmin Jin & Lu Wang & Zuoping Xiao & Hung‐Gay Fung, 2023. "What firm risk factors drive bank loan pricing and other terms? Evidence from China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(3), pages 2985-3010, September.
    20. Liu, Simeng & Wang, Kun Tracy & Walpola, Sonali & Zhu, Nathan Zhenghang, 2024. "CSR contracting and stock price crash risk: International evidence," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:finrev:v:60:y:2025:i:3:p:1085-1116. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/efaaaea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.