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Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis Vol. 48 No. 2 2013

Governance through Trading: Institutional Swing Trades and Subsequent Firm Performance

David R. Gallagher; Peter A. Gardner1; Peter L. Swan

1 [email protected], Plato Investment Management Limited, 60 Margaret St, Sydney 2000, Australia

Abstract

Using unique daily fund-manager trade data, we examine the role of institutional trading in influencing firm performance. We show that short-horizon informed trading by multiple institutional investors effectively disciplines corporate management. Our focus is on short-term “swing” trades, sequences with three phases (e.g., buy-sell-buy). We find swing trades increase stock price informativeness, are profitable after costs, and improve market efficiency. This increase in stock price informativeness is associated with subsequent firm outperformance. Trades are most beneficial with optimal stock holdings that reflect the information acquisition incentives of investors as well as liquidity costs.

DOI
10.1017/s0022109013000203
Volume
48
Issue
2
Pages
427-458
Language
en
Sources
bibtex:phds-export.bib crossref openalex

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