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Tailspotting: Identifying and profiting from CEO vacation trips

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  • David Yermack

Abstract

This paper shows close connections between CEOs' absences from headquarters and corporate news disclosures. I identify CEO absences by merging corporate jet flight histories with records of CEOs' property ownership near leisure destinations. I find that CEOs go to their vacation homes just after companies report favorable news, and CEOs return to headquarters right before subsequent news is released. When CEOs are away, companies announce less news than usual, mandatory disclosures are more likely to occur late, and stock prices exhibit sharply lower volatility. Volatility increases when CEOs return to work. CEOs spend fewer days out of the office when their ownership is high and when the weather is bad at their vacation homes.

Suggested Citation

  • David Yermack, 2012. "Tailspotting: Identifying and profiting from CEO vacation trips," NBER Working Papers 17940, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:17940
    Note: CF LE
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance

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