Abstract
We examine the relation between shareholder investment horizon and CEO horizon incentives derived from compensation contracts. We find that influential incumbent shareholders provide managers with short-horizon incentives to maximize current firm value when these shareholders plan to sell their stock. Specifically, we use the IPO setting in which venture capitalists represent short-horizon, controlling investors with strong selling incentives after the IPO. We predict and find that VC’s short-term incentives influence CEO’s annual horizon incentives following the IPO. At the same time, institutional monitoring limits the influence of VCs on annual, short-horizon incentives. To preempt this disciplining by market participants, VCs grant equity prior to the IPO that correspond with their short-horizons and result in shorter portfolio horizon incentives for the CEO after the IPO. We also document a positive relation between long-run abnormal stock returns and horizon incentives, consistent with horizon incentives influencing management actions.
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