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Rhetoric, Reality, and Reputation: Do CSR and Political Lobbying Protect Shareholder Wealth against Environmental Lawsuits?

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  • Liu, Chelsea
  • Cheong, Chee Seng
  • Zurbruegg, Ralf

Abstract

We investigate whether firms’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) reputations and environmental lobbying efforts protect shareholder wealth in the event of environmental lawsuits. Using a sample of lawsuits filed in United States Federal Courts, we find that firms with superior CSR reputations suffer worse market reactions to environmental allegations. In contrast, lobbying cushions filing-date valuation losses, providing insurance-like protection against lawsuits. Our results are robust to subsample analyses, a falsification test, propensity score matching, and alternative empirical proxies and model specifications.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Chelsea & Cheong, Chee Seng & Zurbruegg, Ralf, 2020. "Rhetoric, Reality, and Reputation: Do CSR and Political Lobbying Protect Shareholder Wealth against Environmental Lawsuits?," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 55(2), pages 679-706, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jfinqa:v:55:y:2020:i:2:p:679-706_10
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    Cited by:

    1. Neukirchen, Daniel & Köchling, Gerrit & Posch, Peter N., 2023. "Enforcement of corporate misconduct during Democratic and Republican administrations," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PA).
    2. Wong, Jin Boon & Zhang, Qin, 2024. "ESG reputation risks, cash holdings, and payout policies," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    3. Liu, Chelsea, 2021. "CEO gender and employee relations: Evidence from labor lawsuits," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    4. Ho, Choy Yeing (Chloe) & Wu, Eliza & Yu, Jing, 2024. "The price of corporate social irresponsibility in seasoned equity offerings: International evidence," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(4).
    5. Fu, Changluan & Yu, Chenyang & Guo, Mengting & Zhang, Lin, 2024. "ESG rating and financial risk of mining industry companies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    6. Wu, Junfeng & Liu, Baohua & Zeng, Yongliang & Luo, Hong, 2022. "Good for the firm, good for the society? Causal evidence of the impact of equity incentives on a firm's green investment," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 435-449.
    7. Huang, Robin Hui & Zhang, Linhan, 2023. "The effects of reputational sanctions on culpable firms: Evidence from China’s stock markets," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    8. Nguyen, Hien T. & Phan, Hieu V. & Vo, Hong, 2023. "Agency problems and corporate social responsibility: Evidence from shareholder-creditor mergers," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    9. Liu, Chelsea, 2020. "Judge political affiliation and impacts of corporate environmental litigation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    10. Dai, Yunhao & Tong, Xinchu & Wang, Li, 2022. "Workplace safety accident, employee treatment, and firm value: Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    11. Ağca, Şenay & Togan-Eğrican, Aslı, 2024. "Managerial activism," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    12. Md Mosharraf Hossain & Lafang Wang & Jing Yu, 2024. "The reputational costs of corporate environmental underperformance: evidence from China," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 930-948, February.
    13. Colak, Gonul & Korkeamäki, Timo P. & Meyer, Niclas Oskar, 2024. "ESG and CEO turnover around the world," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    14. D'Souza, Reagan & Ho, Choy Yeing (Chloe) & Yang, Joey W., 2024. "The cost of corporate social irresponsibility for acquirers," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).

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