Abstract Regulations introduce significant fixed costs and add to operating leverage. Fixed regulatory costs that contribute to operating leverage should generate a risk premium. To explore whether such a premium exists, we introduce a measure of “regulatory operating leverage” that reflects the importance of fixed regulatory costs in a firm’s cost structure. Regulatory operating leverage predicts stock returns in the cross-section, and a zero-cost high-low regulatory operating leverage strategy generates positive and significant risk-adjusted return. Finally, the impact of regulatory operating leverage on returns is due to the (systematic) risk contribution of fixed regulatory costs.

We study the trading behavior of investors in an entire stock market. Using an account level dataset of all trades on the Istanbul Stock Exchange in 2005, we identify investors with similar trading behavior as linked in an empirical investor network (EIN). Consistent with the theory of information networks, we find that central investors earn higher returns and trade earlier than peripheral investors with respect to information events. Overall, our results support the view that information diffusion among the investor population influences trading behavior and returns.

We study the trading behavior of investors in an entire stock market. Using an account level dataset of all trades on the Istanbul Stock Exchange in 2005, we identify investors with similar trading behavior as linked in an empirical investor network (EIN). Consistent with the theory of information networks, we find that central investors earn higher returns and trade earlier than peripheral investors with respect to information events. Overall, our results support the view that information diffusion among the investor population influences trading behavior and returns.