Closed-End Fund Discounts and Expected Investment Performance

Abstract

This paper provides empirical support for the theory that closed-end fund discounts reflect expected investment performance. Evidence is presented to explain how equity closed-end fund initial public offerings (IPOs) can sell at a premium when existing funds sell at a discount and why the initial IPO premiums decay after the IPO. Relative premium decay data are presented. Tests on (a) the relation between relative premium changes and investment performance following IPOs, (b) relative premium mean-reversion following management changes, and (c) net redemptions following closed-end fund open-endings for funds trading at pre-open-ending announcement discounts individually support and collectively strongly support the theory.

Keywords: Closed-end fund discounts, expected investment performance

JEL Classification: G12