Download This PaperCEO Clarity
64 Pages Posted: 9 May 2017 Last revised: 20 Apr 2021
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CEO Clarity
Straight Talkers and Vague Talkers: The Effects of Managerial Style in Earnings Conference Calls
Date Written: April 7, 2021
Abstract
A key task for CEOs is to communicate with analysts and investors about their companies' past performance and prospects in quarterly earnings conference calls. Some CEOs speak fuzzily, frequently using words such as "approximately", "probably", and "maybe." Others rarely use such tentative words. That is, they speak clearly. We show that CEO clarity is a matter of personal style; it is not driven by fundamental uncertainty in the companies' business activity. Analysts and the stock market respond more strongly to earnings news conveyed by clear CEOs. Past performance does not explain the style of a newly appointed CEO. However, when a firm does appoint a more clear-talking CEO, Tobin's Q increases and analyst recommendations become more favorable. Overall, investors and analysts appear to value clear talk.
Keywords: Communication style, Clarity, Earnings conference calls, Firm value, Textual analysis
JEL Classification: G14, G30
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
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