All the President's Friends: Political Access and Firm Value

49 Pages Posted: 1 May 2017 Last revised: 27 Apr 2023

See all articles by Jeffrey R. Brown

Jeffrey R. Brown

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Department of Finance; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); University of Illinois College of Law; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Institute of Government and Public Affairs (IGPA); University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Department of Economics

Jiekun Huang

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Department of Finance

Date Written: April 2017

Abstract

Using novel data on White House visitors from 2009 through 2015, we find that corporate executives’ meetings with key policymakers are associated with positive abnormal stock returns. We also find evidence suggesting that following meetings with federal government officials, firms receive more government contracts and are more likely to receive regulatory relief (as measured by the tone of regulatory news). The investment of these firms also becomes less affected by political uncertainty after the meetings. Using the 2016 presidential election as a shock to political access, we find that firms with access to the Obama administration experience significantly lower stock returns following the release of the election result than otherwise similar firms. Overall, our results provide evidence suggesting that political access is of significant value to corporations.

Suggested Citation

Brown, Jeffrey R. and Huang, Jiekun, All the President's Friends: Political Access and Firm Value (April 2017). NBER Working Paper No. w23356, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2961081

Jeffrey R. Brown (Contact Author)

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Department of Finance ( email )

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

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University of Illinois College of Law ( email )

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Institute of Government and Public Affairs (IGPA) ( email )

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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Department of Economics ( email )

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Jiekun Huang

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Department of Finance ( email )

1206 South Sixth Street
Champaign, IL 61820
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.huangjk.info

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