Corporate Governance and Firm Performance: Roles of Insider and Institutional Holdings

Abstract

Over the last decade more attention has focused upon the corporate governance roles played by insiders and institutional holders of corporations. In particular, how effective is monitoring by institutional holders? Does share ownership by insiders provide incentive for managers to perform in ways that maximize shareholder wealth? Many financial studies examined these relationships over the past thirty years. Recently there has been a change in how the quality of a company’s corporate governance is rated. Is the change in ratings systems by the ISS from GRids to Quickscores a good one? Is there a better “quick” indicator of good corporate governance? This paper provides additional evidence on the relationship between ownership structure and firm performance, and in doing so, shows that institutional and insider holdings may be better guides for investors than the “new and improved” ISS indicators.