We empirically study the relation between managerial ownership and firm performance in a unique private firm setting. The simplicity of the ownership structure and nature of our sample firms helps isolate the incentive-aligning effect of managerial ownership from the influence of other effects....

Companies in the United States are staying private longer, and this trend has important implications for companies and their employees. Employees holding equity awards in private companies are restricted from monetizing an illiquid asset that they might need to support their living expenses....