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Which institutional investors matter for firm survival and performance?

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  • Erenburg, Grigori
  • Smith, Janet Kiholm
  • Smith, Richard

Abstract

Using data that spans three decades, we assess the diverse roles of institutional investors in impacting survival and performance of chronically underperforming firms and contrast the results for consistently overperforming firms. We find material differences in investor roles and investment returns between these samples. Differentiating among institutional types, controlling for prior performance and attrition bias provides insights unattainable by examining aggregated holdings. For underperformers, results are negative for activist pension funds and long-term institutions, positive for activist hedge funds and short-term institutions, and mixed for institutional blockholders.

Suggested Citation

  • Erenburg, Grigori & Smith, Janet Kiholm & Smith, Richard, 2016. "Which institutional investors matter for firm survival and performance?," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 348-373.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecofin:v:37:y:2016:i:c:p:348-373
    DOI: 10.1016/j.najef.2016.05.012
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    2. Elena Karnoukhova & Anastasia Stepanova & Maria Kokoreva, 2018. "The Influence Of The Ownership Structure On The Performance Of Innovative Companies In The Us," HSE Working papers WP BRP 70/FE/2018, National Research University Higher School of Economics.
    3. Benamraoui, Abdelhafid & Jory, Surendranath Rakesh & Mazouz, Khelifa & Shah, Neeta & Gough, Orla, 2019. "The effect of block ownership on future firm value and performance," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).

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