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Inside the director network: When directors trade or hold inside, interlock, and unconnected stocks

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  • Berkman, Henk
  • Koch, Paul
  • Westerholm, P. Joakim

Abstract

Analysis of shareholdings reveals that corporate directors generate positive alpha when they hold board interlocked stocks, where they are not an insider but a current co-board member is. In contrast, directors do not outperform when they hold inside stocks or other stocks unconnected to the board network. Analysis of trades shows that directors outperform when they buy or sell their own company's stock as insiders. They also outperform when they buy interlocked stocks. Results are similar for trades made before firm-specific information events. We also find limited support for the hypothesis that industry familiarity improves performance.

Suggested Citation

  • 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).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:118:y:2020:i:c:s0378426620301588
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2020.105892
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    3. Bakke, Tor-Erik & Black, Jeffrey R. & Mahmudi, Hamed & Linn, Scott C., 2024. "Director networks and firm value," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Insider trading; Informed trading; Shareholdings; Information asymmetry; Interlocking directorship; Director network; Social network; Industry familiarity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G18 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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