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Executive stock options and systemic risk

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  • Armstrong, Christopher
  • Nicoletti, Allison
  • Zhou, Frank S.

Abstract

Employing a novel control function regression method that accounts for the endogenous matching of banks and executives, we find that equity portfolio vega, the sensitivity of executives’ equity portfolio value to their firms’ stock return volatility, leads to systemic risk that manifests during subsequent economic contractions but not expansions. We further find that vega encourages systemically risky policies, including maintaining lower common equity Tier 1 capital ratios, relying on more run-prone debt financing, and making more procyclical investments. Collectively, our evidence suggests that executives’ incentive-compensation contracts promote systemic risk-taking through banks’ lending, investing, and financing practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Armstrong, Christopher & Nicoletti, Allison & Zhou, Frank S., 2022. "Executive stock options and systemic risk," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(1), pages 256-276.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfinec:v:146:y:2022:i:1:p:256-276
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jfineco.2021.09.010
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Executive compensation; Equity incentives; Systemic risk; Business cycles;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods

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