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Advertising investments, information asymmetry, and insider gains

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  • Joseph, Kissan
  • Wintoki, M. Babajide

Abstract

Extant research has documented various sources of informational advantages enjoyed by company insiders including firm size, analyst following, dividend payout policy, book-to-market ratio, and the presence or absence of R&D investments. Surprisingly, despite this large body of work, virtually no research has investigated the contribution of advertising investments to information asymmetry. This omission is particularly glaring since: (a) advertising investments constitute a significant fraction of many firms' ongoing expenditures, and (b) the received literature provides strong theoretical arguments relating advertising investments and information asymmetry. Accordingly, the primary objective in this study is to empirically address this gap. Using advertising and insider transaction data at over 12,000 firms from 1986 to 2011, we find that insider gains are significantly greater at firms characterized by advertising investments. Specifically, a zero cost portfolio that is long on firms with net insider purchases and advertising investments, and short on firms with net insider purchases and devoid of advertising investments, garners annual abnormal returns of 5.5%. In addition, we find that investors' reaction to news of insider purchasing is significantly more pronounced at firms characterized by advertising investments — investors rationally recognize the greater information content associated with insider purchases at these firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Joseph, Kissan & Wintoki, M. Babajide, 2013. "Advertising investments, information asymmetry, and insider gains," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 1-15.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:empfin:v:22:y:2013:i:c:p:1-15
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jempfin.2013.02.004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Allan Hodgson & Suntharee Lhaopadchan & Raluca Ratiu, 2018. "Is advertising under‐resourced in a growth market? Intangible endogeneity and informed trading issues," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 58(S1), pages 343-373, November.
    2. Yajie Chen & Qinlin Zhong & Fuxiu Jiang, 2020. "The capital market spillover effect of product market advertising: Evidence from stock price synchronicity," Frontiers of Business Research in China, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 1-21, December.
    3. Jiang, Chao & Wintoki, M. Babajide & Xi, Yaoyi, 2021. "Insider trading and the legal expertise of corporate executives," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    4. Su, Zhifang & Wang, Luhan & Liao, Jing & Cui, Xin, 2023. "Peer effects in corporate advertisement expenditure: Evidence from China," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    5. Sun, Fangcheng & Dutta, Shantanu & Zhu, Pengcheng & Ren, Wentao, 2021. "Female insiders' ethics and trading profitability," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    6. Mushtaq Hussain Khan, & Ahmad Fraz & Arshad Hassan, 2016. "The Diversification Puzzle: The Role of Asymmetric Information and Insider Trading in Pakistan," Lahore Journal of Economics, Department of Economics, The Lahore School of Economics, vol. 21(2), pages 97-119, July-Dec.
    7. Cui, Xin & Ji, Xinyuan & Meng, Wei & Song, Qi, 2023. "Product market competition and corporate advertising expenditure: Evidence from a natural experiment," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    8. Hillier, David & Korczak, Adriana & Korczak, Piotr, 2015. "The impact of personal attributes on corporate insider trading," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 150-167.
    9. Xu, Mingli & Yang, Wei & Huang, Zhixiong, 2021. "Do investor relations matter in the tourism industry? Evidence from public opinions in China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 923-933.
    10. Sun, Fangcheng & Dutta, Shantanu & Huang, Hui & Zhu, Pengcheng, 2021. "News media and insider trading profitability: An emerging country perspective," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    11. Chauhan, Yogesh & Kumar, K. Kiran & Chaturvedula, Chakrapani, 2016. "Information asymmetry and the information content of insider trades: Evidence from the Indian stock market," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 65-79.
    12. Li, Leon & Miu, Peter, 2023. "Are cryptocurrencies a safe haven for stock investors? A regime-switching approach," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 367-385.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Advertising; Insider trades; Information asymmetry; Insider gains;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G1 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets
    • G3 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance

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