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Article
Publication date: 11 January 2022

Robert Martin Hull, Sungkyu Kwak and Rosemary Walker

The article aims to explore if stock derivative types (stock options and stock warrants) are associated with stock returns for firms undergoing seasoned equity offerings (SEOs).

Abstract

Purpose

The article aims to explore if stock derivative types (stock options and stock warrants) are associated with stock returns for firms undergoing seasoned equity offerings (SEOs).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors regress stock returns against stock derivatives for periods around SEO announcements with standard errors clustered at the month level.

Findings

The authors find that lower stock derivatives holdings for the fiscal year after the SEO are associated with superior pre-SEO returns. This can be explained by owners exercising their derivatives to capitalize on the pre-SEO price run-up. The authors find that greater stock option holdings by insiders for the fiscal year after the SEO are associated with superior post-SEO returns for up to ten years after the SEO announcement. This new finding does not hold for stock warrants.

Research limitations/implications

Stock derivatives are supplied by Capital IQ. Given their description, the authors infer that stock options are owned largely by insiders. Thus, the insider conclusions for stock options depend on this implication.

Practical implications

Stock options and stock warrants can be used strategically to reward stock derivative owners of strong performing firms for past performance. Stock options can be used to motivate insiders (primarily key executives) to achieve superior future performance.

Originality/value

This study is unique in comparing the influence of holdings for stock options and stock warrants on stock price performance around SEOs. The authors show that the sign of the association depends on whether the test includes pre-SEO periods.

Details

International Journal of Managerial Finance, vol. 19 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1743-9132

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 May 2019

Robert M. Hull, Sungkyu Kwak and Rosemary Walker

The purpose of this paper is to explore if hedge fund variables (HFVs) are associated with long-run compounded raw returns (CRRs) for seasoned equity offering (SEO) firms for a…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore if hedge fund variables (HFVs) are associated with long-run compounded raw returns (CRRs) for seasoned equity offering (SEO) firms for a six-year window around the offering month for firms undergoing SEOs.

Design/methodology/approach

The event study methodology is used to calculate long-run CRRs that are used in a regression model as dependent variables. Independent variables include HFVs and nonhedge fund variables (NFVs) with standard errors clustered at the month level.

Findings

Three new long-run findings, consistent with recent short-run findings, are offered. First, HFVs are significantly associated with long-run CRRs for SEO firms. Second, HFVs perform competitively compared to NFVs. Third, a potential omitted-variable bias results if HFVs are not used.

Research limitations/implications

This research assumes that hedge fund managers can identify good (poor) performing SEO firm that allow for profitable long (short) positions. The proportion of hedge funds using a strategy will change in the hypothesized manner needed to make profit.

Practical implications

Hedge fund managers can use long-run strategies to capitalize on price movements around significant corporate events.

Social implications

Larger institutional traders have investment advantages due to superior knowledge and greater ability to manipulate prices.

Originality/value

This research is the first study to detail the significant association between hedge fund stratagems and long-run stock returns for firms undergoing key corporate events. This study demonstrates the need to consider hedge fund strategies when trying to understand stock price movements.

Details

Managerial Finance, vol. 45 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0307-4358

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 March 2018

Robert Martin Hull, Sungkyu Kwak and Rosemary Walker

The purpose of this paper is to determine if hedge fund variables (HFVs) are associated with short-run daily buy and hold abnormal returns (BHARs) for a 30-day window around…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine if hedge fund variables (HFVs) are associated with short-run daily buy and hold abnormal returns (BHARs) for a 30-day window around announcement dates for seasoned equity offerings (SEOs).

Design/methodology/approach

This paper utilizes the event study metric that computes BHARs. These BHARs are used in a regression model as dependent variables with HFVs and nonhedge fund variables (NFVs) as independent variables. For regression tests, standard errors are clustered at the month level.

Findings

This paper offers three new findings. First, HFVs are significantly associated with SEO BHARs. Second, HFVs are capable being associated with stronger statistical significance compared to NFVs. Third, not using HFVs can produce an omitted-variable bias.

Research limitations/implications

This paper does not have information on which individual hedge funds use a strategy during the month of the offering but only the proportion of hedge funds that do. A research implication is the proportion can be associated with SEO BHARs in a fashion predicted based on a long or short position.

Practical implications

Hedge funds can use trading strategies to capitalize on established patterns of price behavior.

Social implications

Hedge funds enjoy a trading advantage over smaller investors.

Originality/value

This paper is the first study to document the association between hedge fund stratagems and stock returns around a major corporate event. It shows researchers should consider institutional trading strategies when studying the market response to a major corporate event.

Details

International Journal of Managerial Finance, vol. 14 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1743-9132

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 February 2017

Robert Martin Hull, Sungkyu Kwak and Rosemary Walker

The purpose of this paper is to determine if hedge funds perform poorly as claimed by more recent research. The authors find hedge funds perform well from 2001 to 2013 when…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine if hedge funds perform poorly as claimed by more recent research. The authors find hedge funds perform well from 2001 to 2013 when compared to sample of firms known to experience superior performance, namely, a sample of seasoned equity offerings (SEOs).

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a portfolio approach in comparing the performance of hedge funds and SEO firms. Other comparisons involve a number of common methodologies used to compute and analyze short-run and long-run returns.

Findings

Contrary to a growing and prevalent belief, the paper offers evidence hedge funds as a whole have performed well for a recent 13-year period. This finding includes periods up to six years around SEO announcement months.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is limited to examining monthly returns for a portfolio of hedge funds. This limitation led to incorporating a portfolio approach.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that a portfolio of hedge funds are an important investment consideration. This consideration has practical implications because investing in a portfolio of hedge funds has become more available for all investors in recent years.

Social implications

Society can be enhanced as this paper helps future investors make optimal investment decisions.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the hedge fund research by being the first paper to compare the performance of hedge funds with that for firms undergoing an important corporate event. The findings are new and can impact investment decision making.

Details

International Journal of Managerial Finance, vol. 13 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1743-9132

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 August 2013

Robert Hull, Rosemary Walker and Sungkyu Kwak

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of R&D manipulation on stock valuation for periods around IPOs. Insider manipulation is the difference in actual R&D change…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of R&D manipulation on stock valuation for periods around IPOs. Insider manipulation is the difference in actual R&D change minus predicted R&D change where a negative difference indicates R&D underinvestment.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is designed to build on prior IPO research that has found reduced R&D expenditures when insiders lower their ownership. The paper derives an R&D manipulation variable that measures underinvestment in R&D. This variable is used in a regression methodology to test its influence on: IPO stock valuation at various points in time and post‐IPO price changes relative to the offer price.

Findings

The paper discovers that greater underinvestment in R&D is associated with greater values during the IPO stock valuation process. This association is reversed when the paper looks at short‐term valuation based on market prices. Only for bubble period IPOs do the paper finds poorer valuations for the long‐term. Larger insider ownership decreases lead to poorer valuations regardless of the period of occurrence. Greater R&D underinvestment and insider ownership decreases both lead to less underpricing.

Research limitations/implications

Like prior research, the paper assumes that knowledge about the change in R&D is known at the time of the offering. Interpretations for long‐run results can be tenuous due to unexpected changes that occur over time.

Practical implications

Investors should note that managers are able to set higher offer prices when they inflate earnings by underinvesting in R&D. Buying at an inflated offer price with R&D manipulation leads to losses in the aftermarket with these losses associated with IPOs that occur during a bubble period.

Social implications

Misrepresentation during the IPO valuation process affects those who buy shares at inflated prices. This raises ethical questions about the behavior of those involved in the issuance process.

Originality/value

This study is unique in testing how R&D manipulation and changes in insider ownership proportions impact the: IPO valuation process, post‐IPO valuation, and changes in the stock price over time relative to the offer price.

Article
Publication date: 6 July 2010

Robert M. Hull, Sungkyu Kwak and Rosemary L. Walker

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of insider ownership decreases on stock returns for firms undergoing seasoned equity offerings (SEOs).

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of insider ownership decreases on stock returns for firms undergoing seasoned equity offerings (SEOs).

Design/methodology/approach

Insider data were gathered for firms undergoing SEOs and this information used to compute the insider ownership percentage decreases caused by the SEOs. These insider percentage decreases and standard compounded abnormal return methodology were used to test signaling theory.

Findings

It was discovered that the short‐run and long‐run stock returns accompanying SEOs are not consistent with what signaling theory predicts. In particular, for greater decreases in insider ownership percentages, a superior market response for both short‐run tests and long‐run post‐SEO tests was often found.

Research limitations/implications

Prior research has not examined how the change in insider ownership caused by a corporate event influences stock returns. Future research can build on the univariate tests by examining the impact of insider ownership within a multivariate framework.

Practical implications

Investors cannot profit by following the behavior of insiders by selling shares in companies where insiders lower their ownership percentages. This is because insiders appear to have personal agendas that they follow when decreasing their holdings.

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine how changes in insider ownership caused by a significant corporate event affect stock returns. The findings of this empirical examination challenge signaling theory as regards insider knowledge, the ability of insiders to convey their privileged knowledge (if it exists), and the capacity of outsiders to decipher and act on insider actions.

Details

Managerial Finance, vol. 36 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0307-4358

Keywords

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