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Institutional common ownership and firm value: Evidence from real estate investment trusts

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  • David C. Ling
  • Chongyu Wang
  • Tingyu Zhou

Abstract

This paper contributes to the ongoing debate about whether and how institutional common ownership (ICO) affects firm behavior. Using a sample of equity real estate investment trusts (REITs), which provide significant advantages for isolating a monitoring channel, we find a robust and positive relation between ICO and REIT firm value. The positive relation between ICO and firm value is driven mainly by motivated investors and becomes stronger when we construct our ICO measures using blockholdings. Our difference‐in‐differences analysis, using mergers between institutional investors, suggests a causal relation exists between ICO and firm value. After investigating various channels through which ICO could affect firm behavior, we conclude that asset allocation decisions and performance are the most plausible explanations. Our finding that the monitoring associated with ICO aids managers in their portfolio disposition strategies further supports this conclusion. This enhanced monitoring leads to increased property portfolio returns, as well as more geographic diversification.

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  • David C. Ling & Chongyu Wang & Tingyu Zhou, 2021. "Institutional common ownership and firm value: Evidence from real estate investment trusts," Real Estate Economics, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, vol. 49(1), pages 187-223, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:reesec:v:49:y:2021:i:1:p:187-223
    DOI: 10.1111/1540-6229.12312
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    3. Lu, Yiming & Wang, Yu, 2024. "Firms and banks common ownership, economic policy uncertainty, and firms’ R&D investment: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    4. Jarl G. Kallberg & Yoshiki Shimizu, 2023. "Acquisitions and the Opportunity Set," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 66(4), pages 904-938, May.
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    6. Xiaoling Chu & Chiuling Lu & Desmond Tsang, 2021. "Geographic Scope and Real Estate Firm Performance during the COVID-19 Pandemic," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-16, July.
    7. Eduard Hromada & Tomáš Krulický, 2021. "Investing in Real Estate in the Czech Republic and Analyzing the Dependence of Profitability and Technical and Socio-Economic Factors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-12, September.
    8. David C. Ling & Chongyu Wang & Tingyu Zhou, 2022. "Asset productivity, local information diffusion, and commercial real estate returns," Real Estate Economics, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, vol. 50(1), pages 89-121, March.
    9. David H. Downs & Bing Zhu, 2022. "Property market liquidity and REIT liquidity," Real Estate Economics, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, vol. 50(6), pages 1462-1491, November.
    10. Zifeng Feng & William G. Hardin & Zhonghua Wu, 2024. "REIT Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Compensation in the New Era," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 69(4), pages 651-681, November.

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