The Impact of Securities Class Actions on Firm Governance and Operating Performance

47 Pages Posted: 29 Aug 2014

See all articles by Matthew McCarten

Matthew McCarten

University of Oxford - Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment

Ivan Diaz-Rainey

Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics, Griffith Business School, Griffith University; University of Otago

Date Written: August 28, 2014

Abstract

Prior research has found securities class actions result in management making improvements within the firm, which helps to reduce agency problems. However, little evidence exists as to whether these changes are beneficial to the firm. We examine the effect securities class actions have on management’s decisions and operating performance. Consistent with prior research we find that managers take corrective actions post filing. In a clear addition to the literature, we find that operating performance declined in the two years leading up to the filing of a securities class action and that there is no evidence that the filing adversely affects performance. Indeed, the findings suggest securities class actions may act as a turning point for the performance of a firm. Finally, we analyze the relationship between the corrective actions taken and abnormal operating performance in order to determine how effective securities class actions are at inducing improvements within the firm. We find that firms that increase leverage post filing, experience subsequent increases in their operating performance. These results suggest that securities class actions do not damage operating performance and instead result in performance enhancing improvements. Our study, therefore, adds support to the use of securities class actions as a disciplinary mechanism.

Keywords: Securities class actions, Agency problems, Governance, Operating performance

JEL Classification: G18, G30, K22

Suggested Citation

McCarten, Matthew and Diaz-Rainey, Ivan, The Impact of Securities Class Actions on Firm Governance and Operating Performance (August 28, 2014). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2488863 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2488863

Matthew McCarten (Contact Author)

University of Oxford - Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment ( email )

United Kingdom

Ivan Diaz-Rainey

Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics, Griffith Business School, Griffith University ( email )

Australia

University of Otago ( email )

Dunedin
New Zealand

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