Title: Proxy access and ownership: does institutional investor type matter?

Authors: Siona Listokin-Smith

Addresses: School of Public Policy, George Mason University, 3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22201, USA

Abstract: Does institutional ownership affect firm value when new proxy access rules are proposed? This paper analyses whether the level and composition of institutional investor ownership impacts firm value on days when the US SEC proxy access proposals are announced. Using event-study methodology, the paper finds evidence indicating the number of institutional investors with significant corporate ownership has a small positive effect on firm value. When public pension funds are differentiated from other types of institutional investors, results show that public pension funds negatively impact stock value returns, while other types of institutional investors have a positive effect. Results are similar for institutional investors with smaller ownership stakes.

Keywords: corporate governance; institutional shareholder; pension fund ownership; shareholder rights; agency theory; institutional ownership; firm value; proxy access rules; public pension funds; stock value returns.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCG.2011.044379

International Journal of Corporate Governance, 2011 Vol.2 No.3/4, pp.288 - 304

Published online: 22 Dec 2011 *

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