We examine professional connections among executives and analysts formed through overlapping historical employment. Analysts with professional connections to coverage firms have more accurate earnings forecasts, and issue more informative buy and sell recommendations. These analysts are more...

We examine whether analysts' prior industry experience influences their ability to serve as effective external firm monitors. Our analyses of firms' financial disclosure quality, executive compensation and CEO turnover decisions portray a consistent picture that related pre-analyst industry...

Using hand-collected biographical information on financial analysts from 1983 to 2011, we find that analysts making forecasts on firms in industries related to their pre-analyst experience have better forecast accuracy, evoke stronger market reactions to earning revisions, and are more likely to...

Following the Global Settlement, analysts extensively use a top pick designation to highlight their highest conviction best ideas. Such a designation enables analysts to provide greater granularity of information, but it can potentially be influenced by conflicts of interest. Examining a...

Following the Global Settlement, analysts extensively use a top pick designation to highlight their highest conviction best ideas. Such a designation enables analysts to provide greater granularity of information, but it can potentially be influenced by conflicts of interest. Examining a...

Quantitative research analysts (Quants) produce in-depth quantitative and econometric modeling of market anomalies to assist sell-side analysts and institutional clients with stock selection strategies. Quants are associated with more efficient analyst forecasting behavior on anomaly predictors...

Using a novel database, we show that the stock-price impact of analyst trade ideas is at least as large as the impact of stock recommendation, target price, and earnings forecast changes, and that investors following trade ideas can earn significant abnormal returns. Trade ideas triggered by...