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Capital Gains Lock-In and Governance Choices

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  • Stephen G. Dimmock
  • William C. Gerken
  • Zoran Ivković
  • Scott J. Weisbenner

Abstract

Because of differences in accrued gains and investors' tax-sensitivity, capital gains "lock-in" varies across mutual funds even for the same stock at the same time. Using this variation, we show that tax lock-in affects funds' governance decisions. Higher tax lock-in decreases the likelihood a fund sells a stock prior to contentious votes, and increases the likelihood the fund votes against management. Consistent with tax motivations, these findings are concentrated among funds with tax-sensitive investors. High aggregate capital gains across funds holding a stock predicts a higher likelihood management loses a vote and a lower likelihood a contentious vote is proposed.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen G. Dimmock & William C. Gerken & Zoran Ivković & Scott J. Weisbenner, 2014. "Capital Gains Lock-In and Governance Choices," NBER Working Papers 20176, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:20176
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    9. Zhichuan Frank Li & Saurin Patel & Srikanth Ramani, 2021. "The Role of Mutual Funds in Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 174(3), pages 715-737, December.
    10. Jing Xie, 2024. "Are passive investors also passive voters? Evidence from securities lending by mutual funds," Working Papers 202410, University of Macau, Faculty of Business Administration.
    11. Wang, Xianjue, 2022. "Disloyal managers and proxy voting," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 44(C).
    12. Dimmock, Stephen G. & Feng, Fan & Zhang, Huai, 2023. "Mutual funds' capital gains lock-in and earnings management," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    13. Kang, Ya & Li, Oliver Zhen & Lin, Yupeng, 2021. "Tax incidence in loan pricing," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(1).
    14. Masanori Orihara, 2023. "Election-Day Market Reactions to Tax Proposals: Evidence from a Close Vote," Working Papers 2219, Waseda University, Faculty of Political Science and Economics.
    15. Chris Mitchell, 2019. "The Lock-In Effect and the Corporate Payout Puzzle," ISER Discussion Paper 1070r, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University, revised Aug 2021.
    16. Orihara, Masanori, 2024. "Election-day market reactions to tax proposals: Evidence from a close vote," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
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    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General

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