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The systemic governance influence of expectation documents: evidence from a universal owner

Author

Listed:
  • Aguilera, Ruth V.
  • J. Bermejo, Vicente
  • Capapé, Javier
  • Cuñat, Vicente

Abstract

We examine expectation documents’ effectiveness as an activism tool. We use the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund’s release of a corporate governance expectation document as a natural experiment. We introduce a novel, three-way analytical decomposition of the firms, the fund, and their joint response to this document. Firms’ governance practices adapt to the fund’s new portfolio-wide governance preferences, with heterogeneous responses across ownership and firm characteristics. The fund’s investment policies also change, even at the expense of financial returns. Overall, our research demonstrates the potential effectiveness of expectation documents as an emerging, low-cost activism tool for universal investors.

Suggested Citation

  • Aguilera, Ruth V. & J. Bermejo, Vicente & Capapé, Javier & Cuñat, Vicente, 2024. "The systemic governance influence of expectation documents: evidence from a universal owner," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 122267, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:122267
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    expectation documents; corporate goverance; institutional ownership;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F30 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - General
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance

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