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Are Ex Ante CEO Severance Pay Contracts Consistent with Efficient Contracting?

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  • Cadman, Brian D.
  • Campbell, John L.
  • Klasa, Sandy

Abstract

Efficient contracting predicts that ex ante severance pay contracts are offered to chief executive officers (CEOs) as protection against downside risk and to encourage investment in risky projects with a positive net present value (NPV). Consistent with this prediction, we find that ex ante contracted severance pay is positively associated with proxies for a CEO’s risk of dismissal and costs the CEO would incur from dismissal. Additionally, we show that the contracted severance payment amount is positively associated with CEO risk taking and the extent to which a CEO invests in projects that have a positive NPV. Overall, our findings imply that ex ante severance pay contracts are consistent with efficient contracting.

Suggested Citation

  • Cadman, Brian D. & Campbell, John L. & Klasa, Sandy, 2016. "Are Ex Ante CEO Severance Pay Contracts Consistent with Efficient Contracting?," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 51(3), pages 737-769, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jfinqa:v:51:y:2016:i:03:p:737-769_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Clara Graziano & Annalisa Luporini, 2022. "Do Firms Gain from Managerial Overconfidence? The Role of Severance Pay," CESifo Working Paper Series 9801, CESifo.
    2. Clara Xiaoling Chen & Minjeong (MJ) Kim & Laura Yue Li & Wei Zhu, 2022. "Accounting Performance Goals in CEO Compensation Contracts and Corporate Risk Taking," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(8), pages 6039-6058, August.
    3. Yonca Ertimur & Caleb Rawson & Jonathan L. Rogers & Sarah L. C. Zechman, 2018. "Bridging the Gap: Evidence from Externally Hired CEOs," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(2), pages 521-579, May.
    4. Gillan, Stuart L. & Nguyen, Nga Q., 2016. "Incentives, termination payments, and CEO contracting," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 445-465.
    5. Ekici, Emrah & Ruseva, Marina Y., 2022. "Do stock options and stock awards provide managers different incentives for corporate disclosure?," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).

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