Shareholder Litigation and Changes in Disclosure Behavior

Abstract:     
We examine changes in the disclosure behavior of firms involved in 827 disclosure-related class-action securities litigation cases filed between 1996 and 2005. We find no evidence that the firms in our sample respond to the litigation event by increasing or improving their disclosures to investors. Rather, we find consistent evidence that firms reduce the level of information provided post-litigation. Our results suggest that the litigation process encourages firms to decrease the provision of disclosures for which they may later be held accountable, despite the increased protections afforded by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Keywords: Disclosure, Litigation, Management Forecasts, Earnings Surprises, Litigation Risk, Conference Calls, Forecast Properties

JEL Classifications: M41, M45, G14, K22

Working Paper Series