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Facial Structure and Achievement Drive: Evidence from Financial Analysts

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  • XIANJIE HE
  • HUIFANG YIN
  • YACHANG ZENG
  • HUAI ZHANG
  • HAILONG ZHAO

Abstract

We use a large pictorial sample of Chinese financial analysts to test the association between facial width‐to‐height ratio (fWHR) and performance in men. Financial analysts offer an ideal setting for our investigation because we can objectively track individual analysts’ behaviors and performance. We find that high‐fWHR analysts are more likely to conduct corporate site visits and they exhibit better performance. The positive fWHR–performance association survives a battery of robustness checks and the association is more pronounced for analysts with lower status, for firms with higher uncertainty, and for analysts facing more intense competition. Our results suggest that the dominant trait predicted by fWHR is achievement drive.

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  • Xianjie He & Huifang Yin & Yachang Zeng & Huai Zhang & Hailong Zhao, 2019. "Facial Structure and Achievement Drive: Evidence from Financial Analysts," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(4), pages 1013-1057, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:bla:joares:v:57:y:2019:i:4:p:1013-1057
    DOI: 10.1111/1475-679X.12259
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    Cited by:

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    3. Kim, Y. Han (Andy) & Park, Junho & Shin, Hojong, 2022. "CEO facial masculinity, fraud, and ESG: Evidence from South Korea," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    4. Yu, Sijia & Zhang, Junrui & Qiu, Meng, 2020. "Political uncertainty and analysts’ forecasts: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 36(C).
    5. Zunxin Zheng & Donghui Li & Tingyong Zhong & Tian Wang & Ling He, 2023. "CEO facial structure and stock price crash risk," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(S1), pages 873-905, April.
    6. K. Hung Chan & Ray R. Wang & Ruixin Wang, 2021. "The Macbeth Factor: The Dark Side of Achievement‐driving Analysts," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 57(2), pages 325-361, June.
    7. Zeyang Chen & Yu-Jane Liu & Juanjuan Meng & Zeng Wang, 2023. "What’s in a Face? An Experiment on Facial Information and Loan-Approval Decision," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(4), pages 2263-2283, April.
    8. Lin Peng & Siew Hong Teoh & Yakun Wang & Jiawen Yan, 2022. "Face Value: Trait Impressions, Performance Characteristics, and Market Outcomes for Financial Analysts," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(2), pages 653-705, May.
    9. Antonio Dávila & Martí Guasch, 2022. "Managers’ Body Expansiveness, Investor Perceptions, and Firm Forecast Errors and Valuation," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(2), pages 517-563, May.
    10. Sheng Cao & Shuang Xue & Hongjun Zhu, 2022. "Analysts' knowledge structure and performance," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(5), pages 4727-4753, December.
    11. Cao, June & Li, Wenwen & Bilokha, Alona, 2022. "Low-carbon city initiatives and analyst behaviour: A quasi-natural experiment," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    12. Sean Cleary & Jonathan Jona & Gladys Lee & Joshua Shemesh, 2020. "Underlying risk preferences and analyst risk‐taking behavior," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(7-8), pages 949-981, July.
    13. Armstrong, Christopher & Kepler, John D. & Samuels, Delphine & Taylor, Daniel, 2022. "Causality redux: The evolution of empirical methods in accounting research and the growth of quasi-experiments," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(2).
    14. Xincheng Wang & Jide Sun & Longwei Tian & Wenjia Guo & Tianyu Gu, 2021. "Environmental dynamism and cooperative innovation: the moderating role of state ownership and institutional development," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(5), pages 1344-1375, October.
    15. Tian, Jinfang & Zhang, Mingxuan & Xue, Rui & Cao, Wei & Shan, Yuli, 2022. "The face of achievement: Editors' facial structure and journal performance," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    16. Ying Cao & Feng Guan & Zengquan Li & Yong George Yang, 2020. "Analysts’ Beauty and Performance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 66(9), pages 4315-4335, September.
    17. Paul P. Momtaz, 2021. "CEO emotions and firm valuation in initial coin offerings: An artificial emotional intelligence approach," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(3), pages 558-578, March.
    18. Wang, Litan & You, Kefei, 2022. "The impact of political connections on corporate tax burden: Evidence from the Chinese market," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PB).
    19. Frimanson, Lars & Hornbach, Janina & Hartmann, Frank G.H., 2021. "Performance evaluations and stress: Field evidence of the hormonal effects of evaluation frequency," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).

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