Insider Trading Profitability in Turkey

Abstract

This study presents the first large-scale, comprehensive evidence on the insider trading patterns and abnormal returns in the Turkish stock market. Starting with a summary of the legislation, an event study methodology is used to compute daily abnormal returns of almost 65,000 insider transactions. Findings show that insiders earn 1.56 percent more than the market average return on the first six days following the trading day. The highest abnormal returns are earned by small firm insiders. Top executives, officers, directors, legal entities, funds, and large shareholders earn significantly higher than the market average return. Short-term and midterm abnormal profits vary with size, the value of the trade, holdings of the insider, relation of the insider with the company, number of insiders within a company, and whether the transaction is a sale or purchase.