Pub Date : 2025-12-12DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102935
Yangming Bao , Martin R. Goetz
We examine peer effects in corporate finance by assessing how a firm’s investment influences its neighboring peer firms’ investment. To uncover the exogenous component of investment, we exploit time variation in the increases in state corporate income taxes across the United States and utilize heterogeneity in local peer firms’ exposure to these tax increases to construct an instrumental variable. We identify a positive and robust causal effect of local peer firms’ investment decisions on firm investment. Distinguishing between physical and intangible investment, we find that peer firms’ investment in physical (intangible) capital only influences firm investment in the same type of capital, particularly when that capital is central to operations. Further evidence indicates that learning from peers is an important factor, as peer effects are more pronounced for firms with stronger learning motives.
{"title":"Local peer effects and corporate investment","authors":"Yangming Bao , Martin R. Goetz","doi":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102935","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102935","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We examine peer effects in corporate finance by assessing how a firm’s investment influences its neighboring peer firms’ investment. To uncover the exogenous component of investment, we exploit time variation in the increases in state corporate income taxes across the United States and utilize heterogeneity in local peer firms’ exposure to these tax increases to construct an instrumental variable. We identify a positive and robust causal effect of local peer firms’ investment decisions on firm investment. Distinguishing between physical and intangible investment, we find that peer firms’ investment in physical (intangible) capital only influences firm investment in the same type of capital, particularly when that capital is central to operations. Further evidence indicates that learning from peers is an important factor, as peer effects are more pronounced for firms with stronger learning motives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15525,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Corporate Finance","volume":"97 ","pages":"Article 102935"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145732947","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102933
Qianqian Du , Frank Yu , Xiaoyun Yu
We study the impact of outlier opinions—extreme views voiced by individuals—in financial markets. Using analyst forecasts as a laboratory, we show that the arrival of an outlier forecast subsequently shifts group consensus and prompts more extreme forecasts from peers. Outlier forecasts also elicit stronger market reactions from investors, increased media coverage, and more conservative management guidance. Further analyses reveal that issuing outlier forecasts enhances an analyst's likelihood of being assigned to cover more prominent clients. Outlier forecasts are more prevalent when an analyst's reputation cost is low and information uncertainty is high. These findings suggest that an individual's outlier opinions, despite being rare and extreme, can generate a broad range of market reactions, and the tendency to express such views is situational, likely driven by personal career motives.
{"title":"Understanding outlier opinions: Evidence from financial analysts","authors":"Qianqian Du , Frank Yu , Xiaoyun Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102933","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102933","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We study the impact of outlier opinions—extreme views voiced by individuals—in financial markets. Using analyst forecasts as a laboratory, we show that the arrival of an outlier forecast subsequently shifts group consensus and prompts more extreme forecasts from peers. Outlier forecasts also elicit stronger market reactions from investors, increased media coverage, and more conservative management guidance. Further analyses reveal that issuing outlier forecasts enhances an analyst's likelihood of being assigned to cover more prominent clients. Outlier forecasts are more prevalent when an analyst's reputation cost is low and information uncertainty is high. These findings suggest that an individual's outlier opinions, despite being rare and extreme, can generate a broad range of market reactions, and the tendency to express such views is situational, likely driven by personal career motives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15525,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Corporate Finance","volume":"97 ","pages":"Article 102933"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145732946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-02DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102930
Rui Dai , Rui Duan , Lilian Ng
We examine how product market competition influences corporate disclosure of adverse news. Our results indicate that firms facing intense competition from existing rivals tend to withhold unfavorable information from stakeholders such as competitors, customers, and investors. In contrast, the threat of new entrants encourages firms to disclose more adverse news as a strategy to deter competition and preserve customer relationships. Our study reconciles seemingly contradictory findings from prior research on competition and disclosure strategies. We highlight that the relationship is shaped by a broader set of corporate strategic considerations, encompassing competitor, customer, and investor dynamics, beyond managerial self-interest.
{"title":"Revealing or concealing? The competitive landscape of bad news disclosure","authors":"Rui Dai , Rui Duan , Lilian Ng","doi":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102930","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102930","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We examine how product market competition influences corporate disclosure of adverse news. Our results indicate that firms facing intense competition from existing rivals tend to withhold unfavorable information from stakeholders such as competitors, customers, and investors. In contrast, the threat of new entrants encourages firms to disclose more adverse news as a strategy to deter competition and preserve customer relationships. Our study reconciles seemingly contradictory findings from prior research on competition and disclosure strategies. We highlight that the relationship is shaped by a broader set of corporate strategic considerations, encompassing competitor, customer, and investor dynamics, beyond managerial self-interest.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15525,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Corporate Finance","volume":"97 ","pages":"Article 102930"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145691433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-29DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102932
Daniel Kim , Sébastien Pouget
We empirically study whether carbon emissions affect firms’ cost of capital raised on conventional bond markets. We find that firms with higher carbon emissions face higher spreads in the secondary market but not in the primary market. We show that this gap is related to uncertainty about climate concerns that affects differently primary and secondary market. This gap is also affected by the reputation of underwriting dealers: high reputation promotes the incorporation of climate concerns into bond yields. Our findings imply that, on average, carbon emissions do not affect the cost of capital in bond markets, thereby reducing firms’ financial incentives for decarbonization.
{"title":"Do carbon emissions affect the cost of capital? Primary versus secondary corporate bond markets","authors":"Daniel Kim , Sébastien Pouget","doi":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102932","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102932","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We empirically study whether carbon emissions affect firms’ cost of capital raised on conventional bond markets. We find that firms with higher carbon emissions face higher spreads in the secondary market but not in the primary market. We show that this gap is related to uncertainty about climate concerns that affects differently primary and secondary market. This gap is also affected by the reputation of underwriting dealers: high reputation promotes the incorporation of climate concerns into bond yields. Our findings imply that, on average, carbon emissions do not affect the cost of capital in bond markets, thereby reducing firms’ financial incentives for decarbonization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15525,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Corporate Finance","volume":"97 ","pages":"Article 102932"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145691434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-28DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102931
Xunzhuo Xi , Yangyang Chen , Feng Tang , Desmond Chun Yip Yuen
This study examines whether financial analysts purposefully issue more pessimistic earnings forecasts during weekday non-trading hours. We show that downward forecast revisions released during weekday non-trading hours draw less market attention, resulting in weaker negative stock price reactions than those released on weekends or trading hours. Such differential market responses to bad news provide analysts with an opportunity to minimize the adverse market impacts of their negative forecasts. In line with this notion, we find that analysts are more likely to issue downward forecast revisions during weekday non-trading hours than during weekends or trading hours. The documented timing phenomenon is more prominent for analysts who are less certain about their negative earnings forecasts either because the forecasted firms operate in a more opaque information environment or because the analysts have less forecasting experience and knowledge specific to these firms. The phenomenon is less pronounced for analysts affiliated with large brokerage firms and low-leverage firms. Collectively, our findings offer new insights into analysts' strategic forecasting behaviors.
{"title":"It's all about timing: Analyst forecasts during weekday non-trading hours","authors":"Xunzhuo Xi , Yangyang Chen , Feng Tang , Desmond Chun Yip Yuen","doi":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102931","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102931","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines whether financial analysts purposefully issue more pessimistic earnings forecasts during weekday non-trading hours. We show that downward forecast revisions released during weekday non-trading hours draw less market attention, resulting in weaker negative stock price reactions than those released on weekends or trading hours. Such differential market responses to bad news provide analysts with an opportunity to minimize the adverse market impacts of their negative forecasts. In line with this notion, we find that analysts are more likely to issue downward forecast revisions during weekday non-trading hours than during weekends or trading hours. The documented timing phenomenon is more prominent for analysts who are less certain about their negative earnings forecasts either because the forecasted firms operate in a more opaque information environment or because the analysts have less forecasting experience and knowledge specific to these firms. The phenomenon is less pronounced for analysts affiliated with large brokerage firms and low-leverage firms. Collectively, our findings offer new insights into analysts' strategic forecasting behaviors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15525,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Corporate Finance","volume":"97 ","pages":"Article 102931"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145691432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-20DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102920
Keith Jin Deng Chan, Wilson Tsz Shing Wan
To address climate change, an increasing number of firms have declared net zero commitments. In this article, we theoretically and empirically demonstrate that a firm's net zero commitment may present a double-edged sword on its cost of equity. By modelling a firm's optimal transition pathway, we theoretically elucidate the relationship between transition ambition, transition readiness, and enterprise value. By estimating the carbon risk premium for 1100 listed firms that had declared net zero commitments globally by 2022, we empirically show that such commitments can either increase or decrease a firm's carbon risk premium, depending on its transition readiness. Specifically, among firms with the same greenhouse gas emissions intensity, those with lower transition readiness may experience a higher cost of equity from declaring net zero commitments. These results align with our theoretical analysis and cannot be explained solely by values investors' green preferences nor the discounted transition credibility of high-emitting firms. Additionally, we show that institutional investors effectively channel carbon risk into the stock market by divesting from high-emitting firms that have declared net zero commitments. Our findings have important implications: firms whose transition readiness do not measure up to their transition ambition may paradoxically expose themselves to greater transition risk and, consequently, a higher cost of equity. To alleviate the accumulation of carbon risk premium in the stock market, policymakers should support the transition readiness of firms in their jurisdictions. This involves building transition capacity, raising transition urgency, and lowering investors' discount rates.
{"title":"The double-edged sword of corporate net zero commitment on the carbon risk premium","authors":"Keith Jin Deng Chan, Wilson Tsz Shing Wan","doi":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102920","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102920","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To address climate change, an increasing number of firms have declared net zero commitments. In this article, we theoretically and empirically demonstrate that a firm's net zero commitment may present a double-edged sword on its cost of equity. By modelling a firm's optimal transition pathway, we theoretically elucidate the relationship between transition ambition, transition readiness, and enterprise value. By estimating the carbon risk premium for 1100 listed firms that had declared net zero commitments globally by 2022, we empirically show that such commitments can either increase or decrease a firm's carbon risk premium, depending on its transition readiness. Specifically, among firms with the same greenhouse gas emissions intensity, those with lower transition readiness may experience a higher cost of equity from declaring net zero commitments. These results align with our theoretical analysis and cannot be explained solely by <em>values</em> investors' green preferences nor the discounted transition credibility of high-emitting firms. Additionally, we show that institutional investors effectively channel carbon risk into the stock market by divesting from high-emitting firms that have declared net zero commitments. Our findings have important implications: firms whose transition readiness do not measure up to their transition ambition may paradoxically expose themselves to greater transition risk and, consequently, a higher cost of equity. To alleviate the accumulation of carbon risk premium in the stock market, policymakers should support the transition readiness of firms in their jurisdictions. This involves building transition capacity, raising transition urgency, and lowering investors' discount rates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15525,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Corporate Finance","volume":"97 ","pages":"Article 102920"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145622142","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-19DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102918
David Pinkus , Dario Pozzoli , Cédric Schneider
We use a unique dataset on domestic pension fund investments to estimate the relationship between pension fund investment and innovation within Danish unlisted firms. We find a significant positive association between pension fund investment and various measures of innovation, including those targeting green technologies. However, this association is attenuated in highly competitive industries, consistent with a governance channel through which pension funds exert discipline on managers. Overall, our study underscores the important role of pension funds in supporting firm innovation, particularly by reducing managerial slack and by supplying stable, long-term capital to unlisted firms.
{"title":"Pension fund investment and firm innovation","authors":"David Pinkus , Dario Pozzoli , Cédric Schneider","doi":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102918","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102918","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We use a unique dataset on domestic pension fund investments to estimate the relationship between pension fund investment and innovation within Danish unlisted firms. We find a significant positive association between pension fund investment and various measures of innovation, including those targeting green technologies. However, this association is attenuated in highly competitive industries, consistent with a governance channel through which pension funds exert discipline on managers. Overall, our study underscores the important role of pension funds in supporting firm innovation, particularly by reducing managerial slack and by supplying stable, long-term capital to unlisted firms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15525,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Corporate Finance","volume":"97 ","pages":"Article 102918"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145622141","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-17DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102919
Linxiang Ma
I examine how political ideology shapes China’s privatization wave around 2000. Using a novel ideology measure constructed based on belief formation mechanisms, I show that provincial governors with above-median communist beliefs privatize 2.8% fewer state-owned enterprises (SOEs) each year than their below-median-belief colleagues. Firms privatized under such governors also achieve fewer efficiency gains after the sale. Mechanism analysis finds evidence that this performance gap arises from ideologically driven choices: pro-communist governors are more likely to privatize weaker or less important firms, adopt transaction structures associated with inferior outcomes, and manage subsidies in ways that exacerbate post-privatization challenges. Moreover, ideology moderates how governors learn from experience and respond to signals, shaping their adaptation in managing privatization. Jointly, these results demonstrate that political leaders’ beliefs can substantially influence the trajectory and outcome of major economic reforms. It also highlights the importance of ideology in driving politicians’ decisions under authoritarian regimes.
{"title":"Ruling with ideology: Politicians’ beliefs and privatizations","authors":"Linxiang Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102919","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102919","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>I examine how political ideology shapes China’s privatization wave around 2000. Using a novel ideology measure constructed based on belief formation mechanisms, I show that provincial governors with above-median communist beliefs privatize 2.8% fewer state-owned enterprises (SOEs) each year than their below-median-belief colleagues. Firms privatized under such governors also achieve fewer efficiency gains after the sale. Mechanism analysis finds evidence that this performance gap arises from ideologically driven choices: pro-communist governors are more likely to privatize weaker or less important firms, adopt transaction structures associated with inferior outcomes, and manage subsidies in ways that exacerbate post-privatization challenges. Moreover, ideology moderates how governors learn from experience and respond to signals, shaping their adaptation in managing privatization. Jointly, these results demonstrate that political leaders’ beliefs can substantially influence the trajectory and outcome of major economic reforms. It also highlights the importance of ideology in driving politicians’ decisions under authoritarian regimes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15525,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Corporate Finance","volume":"97 ","pages":"Article 102919"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145536903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-10DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102916
Jaime Castillo León, Alfred Lehar
This paper surveys the growing empirical literature on decentralized finance (DeFi), emphasizing how protocol design and incentive structures shape economic outcomes in blockchain-based financial systems. We review evidence on tokens, decentralized exchanges, lending platforms, yield farming, derivatives, governance, infrastructure, and regulation. Across these domains, research highlights mechanisms of liquidity provision, price discovery, leverage, systemic fragility, and investor behavior, as well as vulnerabilities stemming from arbitrage frictions, liquidation dynamics, and maximal extractable value. We also examine the roles of audits, oracle networks, settlement mechanisms, and transparency tools in substituting for traditional oversight. The findings indicate that DeFi replicates many functions of traditional finance while introducing new risks linked to pseudonymity, smart contracts, and composability. The survey concludes by outlining open questions for research and policy on market efficiency, governance, systemic risk, and long-term sustainability.
{"title":"What data have told us about decentralized finance","authors":"Jaime Castillo León, Alfred Lehar","doi":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102916","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102916","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper surveys the growing empirical literature on decentralized finance (DeFi), emphasizing how protocol design and incentive structures shape economic outcomes in blockchain-based financial systems. We review evidence on tokens, decentralized exchanges, lending platforms, yield farming, derivatives, governance, infrastructure, and regulation. Across these domains, research highlights mechanisms of liquidity provision, price discovery, leverage, systemic fragility, and investor behavior, as well as vulnerabilities stemming from arbitrage frictions, liquidation dynamics, and maximal extractable value. We also examine the roles of audits, oracle networks, settlement mechanisms, and transparency tools in substituting for traditional oversight. The findings indicate that DeFi replicates many functions of traditional finance while introducing new risks linked to pseudonymity, smart contracts, and composability. The survey concludes by outlining open questions for research and policy on market efficiency, governance, systemic risk, and long-term sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15525,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Corporate Finance","volume":"96 ","pages":"Article 102916"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145525891","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-08DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102917
Sergey Gelman , Russell Fralich , Alex Bitektine , Sara Zahraei
We find that the expected contribution of new CEO's experience to firm value depends on the degree of managerial challenge faced in the hiring firm. We identify two firm dimensions of such challenge: 1) firm complexity and 2) prior poor performance of the firm. Using a multi-industry 15-year sample of 1095 newly appointed CEOs of U.S. public firms, we find that CEO's experience benefits investors only when the firm is complex and/or struggling. The more complexity or performance challenge the firm is facing, the greater is the positive effect of CEO generalist experience on shareholder value.
{"title":"When does a generalist CEO create shareholder value? The effect of managerial challenge","authors":"Sergey Gelman , Russell Fralich , Alex Bitektine , Sara Zahraei","doi":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102917","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2025.102917","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We find that the expected contribution of new CEO's experience to firm value depends on the degree of managerial challenge faced in the hiring firm. We identify two firm dimensions of such challenge: 1) firm complexity and 2) prior poor performance of the firm. Using a multi-industry 15-year sample of 1095 newly appointed CEOs of U.S. public firms, we find that CEO's experience benefits investors only when the firm is complex and/or struggling. The more complexity or performance challenge the firm is facing, the greater is the positive effect of CEO generalist experience on shareholder value.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":15525,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Corporate Finance","volume":"97 ","pages":"Article 102917"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2025-11-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145578360","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}