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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine if hedge fund variables (HFVs) are associated with short-run daily buy and hold abnormal returns (BHARs) for a 30-day window around announcement dates for seasoned equity offerings (SEOs). Design/methodology/approach This paper utilizes the event study metric that computes BHARs. These BHARs are used in a regression model as dependent variables with HFVs and nonhedge fund variables (NFVs) as independent variables. For regression tests, standard errors are clustered at the month level. Findings This paper offers three new findings. First, HFVs are significantly associated with SEO BHARs. Second, HFVs are capable being associated with stronger statistical significance compared to NFVs. Third, not using HFVs can produce an omitted-variable bias. Research limitations/implications This paper does not have information on which individual hedge funds use a strategy during the month of the offering but only the proportion of hedge funds that do. A research implication is the proportion can be associated with SEO BHARs in a fashion predicted based on a long or short position. Practical implications Hedge funds can use trading strategies to capitalize on established patterns of price behavior. Social implications Hedge funds enjoy a trading advantage over smaller investors. Originality/value This paper is the first study to document the association between hedge fund stratagems and stock returns around a major corporate event. It shows researchers should consider institutional trading strategies when studying the market response to a major corporate event.

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Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine if hedge funds perform poorly as claimed by more recent research. The authors find hedge funds perform well from 2001 to 2013 when compared to sample of firms known to experience superior performance, namely, a sample of seasoned equity offerings (SEOs). Design/methodology/approach This paper uses a portfolio approach in comparing the performance of hedge funds and SEO firms. Other comparisons involve a number of common methodologies used to compute and analyze short-run and long-run returns. Findings Contrary to a growing and prevalent belief, the paper offers evidence hedge funds as a whole have performed well for a recent 13-year period. This finding includes periods up to six years around SEO announcement months. Research limitations/implications This paper is limited to examining monthly returns for a portfolio of hedge funds. This limitation led to incorporating a portfolio approach. Practical implications The findings suggest that a portfolio of hedge funds are an important investment consideration. This consideration has practical implications because investing in a portfolio of hedge funds has become more available for all investors in recent years. Social implications Society can be enhanced as this paper helps future investors make optimal investment decisions. Originality/value This paper adds to the hedge fund research by being the first paper to compare the performance of hedge funds with that for firms undergoing an important corporate event. The findings are new and can impact investment decision making.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of R&D manipulation on stock valuation for periods around IPOs. Insider manipulation is the difference in actual R&D change minus predicted R&D change where a negative difference indicates R&D underinvestment.Design/methodology/approachThis study is designed to build on prior IPO research that has found reduced R&D expenditures when insiders lower their ownership. The paper derives an R&D manipulation variable that measures underinvestment in R&D. This variable is used in a regression methodology to test its influence on: IPO stock valuation at various points in time and post‐IPO price changes relative to the offer price.FindingsThe paper discovers that greater underinvestment in R&D is associated with greater values during the IPO stock valuation process. This association is reversed when the paper looks at short‐term valuation based on market prices. Only for bubble period IPOs do the paper finds poorer valuations for the long‐term. Larger insider ownership decreases lead to poorer valuations regardless of the period of occurrence. Greater R&D underinvestment and insider ownership decreases both lead to less underpricing.Research limitations/implicationsLike prior research, the paper assumes that knowledge about the change in R&D is known at the time of the offering. Interpretations for long‐run results can be tenuous due to unexpected changes that occur over time.Practical implicationsInvestors should note that managers are able to set higher offer prices when they inflate earnings by underinvesting in R&D. Buying at an inflated offer price with R&D manipulation leads to losses in the aftermarket with these losses associated with IPOs that occur during a bubble period.Social implicationsMisrepresentation during the IPO valuation process affects those who buy shares at inflated prices. This raises ethical questions about the behavior of those involved in the issuance process.Originality/valueThis study is unique in testing how R&D manipulation and changes in insider ownership proportions impact the: IPO valuation process, post‐IPO valuation, and changes in the stock price over time relative to the offer price.