RFS Advance Access originally published online on July 6, 2006
Review of Financial Studies 2007 20(3):741-768; doi:10.1093/rfs/hhl027
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Tipping
Terry College of Business, University of Georgia
Darden Graduate School of Business Administration, University of Virginia
University of Missouri
Address correspondence to Paul Irvine, Terry College of Business, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, or e-mail: pirvine{at}terry.uga.edu
We investigate the trading of institutions immediately before the release of analysts initial buy recommendations. We document abnormally high institutional trading volume and buying beginning five days before recommendations are publicly released. Abnormal buying is related to initiation characteristics that would require knowledge of the content of the reportsuch as the identity of the analyst and brokerage firm, and whether the recommendation is a strong buy. We confirm that institutions buying before the recommendation release earn abnormal profits. Our results are consistent with institutional traders receiving tips regarding the contents of forthcoming analysts reports. (JEL G14, G18, G24)