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Why do insiders trade? Evidence based on unique data on Swedish insiders

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  • Kallunki, Juha-Pekka
  • Nilsson, Henrik
  • Hellström, Jörgen

Abstract

In this paper, we examine if corporate insiders have other motives for trading besides exploitation of private information. Our results show that insiders' portfolio re-balancing objectives, tax considerations and behavioral biases play the most important role in their trading decisions. We also find that insiders who have allocated a great (small) proportion of their wealth to insider stock sell more (less) before bad news earnings disclosures. Finally, insider selling is informative for future returns among those insiders who have the greatest proportion of wealth allocated to insider stocks.

Suggested Citation

  • Kallunki, Juha-Pekka & Nilsson, Henrik & Hellström, Jörgen, 2009. "Why do insiders trade? Evidence based on unique data on Swedish insiders," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 37-53, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jaecon:v:48:y:2009:i:1:p:37-53
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    Cited by:

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    2. Patrick Hable & Patrick Launhardt, 2020. "Aggregate insider trading and the prediction of corporate credit spread changes," Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Springer;Swiss Society for Financial Market Research, vol. 34(1), pages 1-31, March.
    3. Zou, Gaofeng & Du, Shuchang & Yang, Yulong & Huang, Zuo, 2022. "The effect of realized future growth opportunities on insider trading," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    4. Chu, Chien Chi & Chang, Chiao Yi & Zhou, Rui Jie, 2021. "The nonlinear connection between 52-week high and announcement effect of insider trading — Evidence from mainland China and Taiwan," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 1043-1057.
    5. Chan, Jesse & Lin, Steve & Yu, Yong & Zhao, Wuyang, 2018. "Analysts’ stock ownership and stock recommendations," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 476-498.
    6. Stotz, Olaf & Georgi, Dominik, 2012. "A logit model of retail investors' individual trading decisions and their relations to insider trades," Review of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 159-167.
    7. Aliev, Timur (Алиев, Тимур) & Flegontova, Tatiana (Флегонтова, Татьяна) & Kuznetsova, A (Кузнецова, А.) & Pyzhikov, Nikita (Пыжиков, Никита) & Ivashentsov, G (Ивашенцов, Г.) & Ponomareva, Olga (Понома, 2018. "Activation of the Integration Agenda of the Eaec in the Context of Changing the Regional Architecture in the Apr [Активизация Интеграционной Повестки Еаэс В Условиях Изменения Региональной Архитект," Working Papers 031834, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.
    8. Berkman, Henk & Koch, Paul & Westerholm, P. Joakim, 2020. "Inside the director network: When directors trade or hold inside, interlock, and unconnected stocks," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    9. Liu, Xiaojun & Wang, Li & Dai, Yunhao, 2023. "Capital market liberalization and opportunistic insider sales: Evidence from China," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    10. Kallunki, Juha-Pekka & Mikkonen, Jenni & Nilsson, Henrik & Setterberg, Hanna, 2016. "Tax noncompliance and insider trading," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 157-173.
    11. Irene Karamanou & Grace Pownall & Rachna Prakash, 2021. "Asymmetric information consolidation and price discovery: Inferring bad news from insider sales," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(1-2), pages 230-268, January.
    12. Francesca Franco & Christopher D. Ittner & Oktay Urcan, 2017. "Determinants and Trading Performance of Equity Deferrals by Corporate Outside Directors," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 63(1), pages 114-138, January.
    13. Madura, Jeff & Marciniak, Marek, 2014. "Bidder country characteristics and informed trading in U.S. targets," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 256-284.
    14. Adriana Korczak & Piotr Korczak & Meziane Lasfer, 2010. "To Trade or Not to Trade: The Strategic Trading of Insiders around News Announcements," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(3‐4), pages 369-407, April.
    15. Kaspar Dardas & Andre Güttler, 2011. "Are directors’ dealings informative? Evidence from European stock markets," Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Springer;Swiss Society for Financial Market Research, vol. 25(2), pages 111-148, June.
    16. Dinis Santos & Paulo Gama, 2021. "Is Insider Trading Successful? An Extensive Analysis with Buying and Selling Evidence," Proceedings of Economics and Finance Conferences 12513376, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences.
    17. Foley, Sean & Kwan, Amy & McInish, Thomas H. & Philip, Richard, 2016. "Director discretion and insider trading profitability," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 28-43.
    18. Kallunki, Jenni & Kallunki, Juha-Pekka & Nilsson, Henrik & Puhakka, Mikko, 2018. "Do an insider's wealth and income matter in the decision to engage in insider trading?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(1), pages 135-165.
    19. Wang, Xiaoqiong & Zhen, Hongxian & Zhu, Feifei, 2023. "Voting with their feet: Controlling shareholders' share pledging and other major shareholders' strategic response," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    20. Daniel Ferreira & Gustavo Manso & André C. Silva, 2014. "Incentives to Innovate and the Decision to Go Public or Private," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 27(1), pages 256-300, January.
    21. Huang, Wan & Bai, Yufan & Luo, Hong, 2024. "Customer identity concealing and insider selling profitability: Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    22. Hsieh, Jim & Ng, Lilian & Wang, Qinghai, 2023. "How informative are insider trades and analyst recommendations?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    23. Foley, Sean & Kwan, Amy & McInish, Thomas H. & Philip, Richard, 2017. "Reprint of Director discretion and insider trading profitability," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 52-67.

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