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Voluntary disclosures and the exercise of CEO stock options

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  • Brockman, Paul
  • Martin, Xiumin
  • Puckett, Andy

Abstract

We examine voluntary disclosures around the exercise of CEO stock options. Previous research shows that managerial incentives depend on the intended disposition of the exercised options' underlying shares. When CEOs intend to sell the underlying shares of exercised options, they have an incentive to increase stock prices in the pre-exercise period. In contrast, when CEOs intend to hold the underlying shares, they have a tax incentive to decrease stock prices in the pre-exercise period. Consistent with these private incentives, we find a significant increase in the frequency and magnitude of good (bad) news announcements in the pre-exercise period when CEOs implement exercise-and-sell (exercise-and-hold) strategies. We provide some evidence that CEOs' propensities for opportunistic disclosures are positively related to the value of their exercised stock options. Lastly, we find that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) generally reduces, but does not eliminate, this type of managerial opportunism.

Suggested Citation

  • Brockman, Paul & Martin, Xiumin & Puckett, Andy, 2010. "Voluntary disclosures and the exercise of CEO stock options," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 16(1), pages 120-136, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:corfin:v:16:y:2010:i:1:p:120-136
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Erik Lie, 2005. "On the Timing of CEO Stock Option Awards," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 51(5), pages 802-812, May.
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    9. Huddart, Steven & Lang, Mark, 2003. "Information distribution within firms: evidence from stock option exercises," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(1-3), pages 3-31, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Chi, Jianxin Daniel & Gupta, Manu & Johnson, Shane A., 2020. "Short-horizon incentives and stock price inflation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    2. Paul M. Guest, 2017. "Executive Compensation and Ethnic Minority Status," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(3), pages 427-458, July.
    3. Chen, Xiao & Huang, Bihong & Shaban, Mohamed, 2022. "Naïve or sophisticated? Information disclosure and investment decisions in peer to peer lending," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    4. Rupjyoti Saha & K. C. Kabra, 2020. "Corporate Governance and Voluntary Disclosure: A Synthesis of Empirical Studies," Business Perspectives and Research, , vol. 8(2), pages 117-138, July.
    5. Dasilas, Apostolos, 2024. "The nonlinear relationship between employee stock ownership plans and firm performance: Evidence from China," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    6. Lu, Cuicui & Parsley, David & Xue, Bing, 2024. "Economic policy uncertainty and voluntary disclosures:How do Chinese firms respond?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 141-167.
    7. Bansal, Naresh & Seetharaman, Ananth & Wang, Xu (Frank), 2013. "Managerial risk-taking incentives and non-GAAP earnings disclosures," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 9(1), pages 100-121.

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