Using both archival data and survey data in which participants rated the facial traits of S&P 500 CEOs, we find that CEOs perceived as more competent or attractive receive a higher salary but not higher non-salary pay, particularly for firms with higher corporate visibility (conceptualized as...

Prior studies find that firms cut research and development (R&D) expense in response to earnings considerations. We extend this stream of research by documenting that firms narrowly achieving an earnings threshold also report unusually high capital expenditures. In addition, these firms' total...

Accounting rules require that certain R&D expenditures be capitalized, but academic research often states that all R&D expenditures must be immediately expensed. An accurate understanding of actual R&D accounting practices is critical because that understanding influences research questions and...

Exploiting an exogenous decrease in analyst access to private information, we show that firms with analyst following (test firms) experience a significant reduction in R&D investment relative to firms without analyst following (control firms) after Reg FD. We also document that the negative...

Accounting rules require that certain R&D expenditures be capitalized, but academic research often states that all R&D expenditures must be immediately expensed. An accurate understanding of actual R&D accounting practices is critical because that understanding influences research questions and...