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The power of shareholder votes: Evidence from uncontested director elections

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  • Aggarwal, Reena
  • Dahiya, Sandeep
  • Prabhala, Nagpurnanand R.

Abstract

This paper asks whether dissent votes in uncontested director elections have consequences for directors. We show that contrary to popular belief based on prior studies, shareholder votes have power and result in negative consequences for directors. Directors facing dissent are more likely to depart boards, especially if they are not lead directors or chairs of important committees. Directors facing dissent who do not leave are moved to less prominent positions on boards. Finally, we find evidence that directors facing dissent face reduced opportunities in the market for directors. We also find that the effects of dissent votes go beyond those of proxy advisor recommendations.

Suggested Citation

  • Aggarwal, Reena & Dahiya, Sandeep & Prabhala, Nagpurnanand R., 2019. "The power of shareholder votes: Evidence from uncontested director elections," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(1), pages 134-153.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfinec:v:133:y:2019:i:1:p:134-153
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jfineco.2018.12.002
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    Cited by:

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    2. Tuck Siong Chung & Angie Low & Roland T. Rust, 2023. "Executive confidence and myopic marketing management," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 51(5), pages 1118-1142, September.
    3. Artiga González, Tanja & Calluzzo, Paul & Granic, Georg D., 2023. "Ballot order effects in independent director elections," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    4. Anne-Marie Anderson & Nandu Nayar, 2022. "Can regulation enhancing the shareholder franchise increase firm value?," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 61(3), pages 191-221, June.
    5. Bing Guo & Dennis C. Hutschenreiter & David Pérez-Castrillo & Anna Toldrà-Simats, 2023. "Institutional Blockholders and Corporate Innovation," Working Papers 1390, Barcelona School of Economics.
    6. Michael R. Janse van Vuuren & Nadia Mans-Kemp & Suzette Viviers, 2023. "Who monitors the monitors? An examination of listed companies in an emerging market context," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 20(3), pages 213-230, September.
    7. Brito, Duarte & Elhauge, Einer & Ribeiro, Ricardo & Vasconcelos, Helder, 2023. "Modelling the objective function of managers in the presence of overlapping shareholding," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    8. Marina Gertsberg & Johanna Mollerstrom & Michaela Pagel, 2021. "Gender Quotas and Support for Women in Board Elections," NBER Working Papers 28463, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Lin, Jing & Li, Fang & Zheng, Steven Xiaofan & Zhou, Mingshan, 2023. "Minority shareholder voting and dividend policy," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    10. Calluzzo, Paul & Kedia, Simi, 2019. "Mutual fund board connections and proxy voting," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(3), pages 669-688.
    11. Bilal Hafeez & M. Humayun Kabir & Udomsak Wongchoti, 2022. "Are retail investors really passive? Shareholder activism in the digital age," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(3-4), pages 423-460, March.
    12. Quinn D. Curtis & Justin J. Hopkins, 2022. "Career concerns for revealing misreporting," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 27(1), pages 1-34, March.
    13. George Drymiotes & Haijin Lin & Yonca Ertimur, 2020. "Shareholder Empowerment and Board of Directors Effectiveness," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(4), pages 2649-2695, December.
    14. Wang, Xianjue, 2021. "Disclosure by firms under voting pressure," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    15. Wang, Xianjue, 2022. "Disloyal managers and proxy voting," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 44(C).
    16. Dimmock, Stephen G. & Feng, Fan & Zhang, Huai, 2023. "Mutual funds' capital gains lock-in and earnings management," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    17. José Azar & Xavier Vives, 2021. "General Equilibrium Oligopoly and Ownership Structure," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 89(3), pages 999-1048, May.
    18. Hutschenreiter, Dennis, 2023. "Common Ownership and the Market for Technology," VfS Annual Conference 2023 (Regensburg): Growth and the "sociale Frage" 277640, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    19. Chung, Kee H. & Lee, Choonsik, 2020. "Voting methods for director election, monitoring costs, and institutional ownership," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    20. Arjun Mitra & Corinne Post & Steve Sauerwald, 2021. "Evaluating Board Candidates: A Threat-Contingency Model of Shareholder Dissent Against Female Director Candidates," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(1), pages 86-110, January.
    21. Eunice S. Khoo & Li Chen & Gary S. Monroe, 2023. "Shareholder election of CSR committee members and its effects on CSR performance," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(3-4), pages 716-763, March.
    22. Tongxia Li & Tze Chuan ‘Chewie’ Ang, 2022. "Corporate vote trading in Australia," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(S1), pages 1065-1105, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Director elections; Director reputation; Shareholder voting; Proxy advisor;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G3 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • K22 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Business and Securities Law
    • L51 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy - - - Economics of Regulation

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