Financial Intermediaries and Agency Problems With and Without Vertical Incentives

Abstract

I study agency problems between brokers and investors in the retail bond market. The presence of suitability or fiduciary regulations, which govern transactions in this setting, can lead to tensions for brokers between maximizing their own profit and acting in the best interests of their customers. This paper measures the degree to which these conflicting incentives influence brokers by examining the U.S. reverse convertible bond market. While brokers do consider the profits of investors when making decisions, I estimate that their own profits are roughly three times more important, suggesting the existence of severe agency problems that reduce consumer welfare.