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Performance peer groups in CEO compensation contracts

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  • Tor‐Erik Bakke
  • Hamed Mahmudi
  • Ashley Newton

Abstract

How do firms choose performance peer groups used in chief executive officer (CEO) relative performance evaluation contracts? We find that while firms, for the most part, choose performance peers to better identify their CEOs’ impact on firm performance, they also tend to select underperforming peers. Dynamically, we find that peers that are added and retained every year are weaker than ones that were not chosen. These findings suggest managers may have some influence on the choice of performance peers. Finally, using a quasi‐natural experiment, we find that enhanced disclosure did not affect the tendency of firms to select underperforming peers.

Suggested Citation

  • Tor‐Erik Bakke & Hamed Mahmudi & Ashley Newton, 2020. "Performance peer groups in CEO compensation contracts," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 49(4), pages 997-1027, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:finmgt:v:49:y:2020:i:4:p:997-1027
    DOI: 10.1111/fima.12296
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    3. Yuanzhan Chen & Zhuo Jin & Bo Qin, 2023. "Economic Value Added in performance measurement: A simulation approach and empirical evidence," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(1), pages 109-140, March.
    4. Raphael Flepp & Pascal Flurin Meier, 2024. "Struck by Luck: Noisy Capability Cues and CEO Dismissal," Working Papers 389, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    5. Affan Hameed & Carol Padgett & Michael P. Clements & Subhan Ullah, 2023. "The choice of performance measures, target setting and vesting levels in UK firms' Chief Executive Officer equity‐based compensation," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(4), pages 4246-4270, October.
    6. John Bizjak & Swaminathan Kalpathy & Zhichuan Frank Li & Brian Young, 2022. "The Choice of Peers for Relative Performance Evaluation in Executive Compensation [Peer choice in CEO compensation]," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 26(5), pages 1217-1239.
    7. Lin, Yu-En & Jiang, Xiao-Tong & Yu, Bo & Lam, Keith S.K., 2023. "Compensation peer crash risks and corporate own investments: New evidences from U.S. stock markets," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).

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