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Chaebol-affiliated analysts: Conflicts of interest and market responses

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  • Song, Kyojik “Roy”
  • Mantecon, Tomas
  • Altintig, Z. Ayca

Abstract

Some Korean business groups, or chaebols, have a large stake in securities firms that issue analysts’ reports on their member companies. This structure is unique in that industrial companies and securities firms are affiliated and operate within the same group. We investigate the informational content of earnings forecasts, stock recommendations and target prices made by the chaebol-affiliated analysts, using data collected between 2000 and 2008. The chaebol analysts tend to make more optimistic earnings forecasts for the member companies. The mean EPS forecast error (5.36%) of the affiliated analysts for the same chaebol company are significantly larger than that (3.23%) of other chaebol and independent analysts. The chaebol analysts also assign better recommendations by almost one level and set target prices 2.5% higher to the member companies after controlling for company and analyst characteristics. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that chaebol analysts’ reports are biased by conflicts of interest. Stock market reactions do not differ in response to announcements of stock recommendations issued by affiliated vs. non-affiliated analysts. This suggests that capital markets do not recognize the conflicts of interest inherent in chaebol analysts’ reports.

Suggested Citation

  • Song, Kyojik “Roy” & Mantecon, Tomas & Altintig, Z. Ayca, 2012. "Chaebol-affiliated analysts: Conflicts of interest and market responses," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 584-596.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:36:y:2012:i:2:p:584-596
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2011.09.001
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    2. Mo, Kyoungwon & Ha, Wonsuk & Park, Kyung-Jin, 2023. "Market reaction to analyst forecasts by analysts with familyship: Evidence from South Korea," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PB).
    3. Tien Hoang Nguyen, & Xuan Minh Nguyen, & Thi Thu Ha Nguyen, & Quoc Trung Tran, 2017. "Ownership structure and performance of professional service firms in a declining industry: Evidence from Vietnamese securities firms," Business and Economic Horizons (BEH), Prague Development Center, vol. 13(2), pages 142-151, May.
    4. Lee, Kyounghun & Oh, Frederick Dongchuhl & Shin, Donglim & Yoon, Heejin, 2023. "Internal labor markets and corporate innovation: Evidence from Korean chaebols," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 146-162.
    5. Denis Yongmin Joe & Frederick Dongchuhl Oh, 2018. "Spillover Effects Within Business Groups: The Case of Korean Chaebols," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 64(3), pages 1396-1412, March.
    6. Dongheun Lee & Sejoong Lee & Na-Eun Cho, 2019. "Voluntary Disclosure and Market Valuation of Sustainability Reports in Korea: The Case of Chaebols," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-20, June.
    7. Chan, Chia-Ying & Lo, Huai-Chun & Su, Yi-Ru, 2014. "Distribution of stock ratings and analyst recommendation revision," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 273-286.
    8. Lim, Youngdeok & Kim, Hyungtae, 2019. "Market reaction to optimistic bias in the recommendations of chaebol-affiliated analysts," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 224-242.
    9. Nguyen, Thien Hoang & Nguyen, Xuan Minh & Nguyen, Thi Thu Ha & Tran, Quoc Trung, 2017. "Ownership structure and performance of professional service firms in a declining industry: Evidence from Vietnamese securities firms1," Business and Economic Horizons (BEH), Prague Development Center (PRADEC), vol. 13(2).
    10. Joe, Denis Yongmin & Oh, Frederick Dongchuhl, 2018. "Credit ratings and corporate cash holdings: Evidence from Korea’s corporate reform after the 1997 Asian financial crisis," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 9-18.
    11. Xie, Lingmin & Chen, Zhian & Li, Donghui & Tan, Hongping, 2022. "Foreign analysts and managerial investment learning from stock markets," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    12. Demirbag, Mehmet & McGuinness, Martina & Akin, Ahmet & Bayyurt, Nizamettin & Basti, Eyup, 2016. "The professional service firm (PSF) in a globalised economy: A study of the efficiency of securities firms in an emerging market," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 1089-1102.
    13. Mo, Kyoungwon & Lee, Kyung Yun, 2021. "Affiliated Mutual Fund Investments and Discretionary Accruals: Evidence from Korea," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Business groups; Chaebols; Conflicts of interest; Analysts’ earnings forecasts; Stock recommendations; Target prices;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General

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