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Investor Ideology

Author

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  • Bolton, Patrick
  • Li, Tao
  • Ravina, Enrichetta
  • Rosenthal, Howard

Abstract

We estimate institutional investor preferences based on their proxy voting records in publicly listed Russell 3000 firms. We employ a spatial model of proxy voting, the W-NOMINATE method for scaling legislatures, and map institutional investors onto a left-right dimension based on their votes for fiscal year 2012. The far-left are socially responsible and the far-right are “money conscious†investors. Significant ideological differences reflect an absence of shareholder unanimity. The proxy adviser ISS, similar to a political leader, makes voting recommendations that place it in the center; to the left of most mutual funds. Public pension funds and other investors on the left support a more social and environment-friendly orientation of the firm and fewer executive compensation proposals. A second dimension reflects a more traditional governance view, with management disciplinarian investors, the proxy adviser Glass-Lewis among them, pitted against more management friendly ones.

Suggested Citation

  • Bolton, Patrick & Li, Tao & Ravina, Enrichetta & Rosenthal, Howard, 2019. "Investor Ideology," CEPR Discussion Papers 13633, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:13633
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    2. José Azar & Xavier Vives, 2021. "General Equilibrium Oligopoly and Ownership Structure," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 89(3), pages 999-1048, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Proxy voting; Institutional investors; Socially responsible investment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill

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