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Faculty/Staff Directory

Laura Starks

Laura Starks
laura.starks@mccombs.utexas.edu
GSB 5.167 (512-4715899)
GSB
Vita
Additional Titles:
Charles E. & Sarah M. Seay Regents’ Chair in Finance
Co-Executive Director, Social Innovation Initiative@McCombs

Professor

Department
Finance
Social Innovation@McCombs Initiative

Industry Areas:
Research Areas:

Biography

Laura T. Starks, Charles E. and Sarah M. Seay Regents Chair in Finance and co-Executive Director of Social Innovation@McCombs. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on environmental, social and governance investing, global financial strategies, and other finance topics. She has previously served as interim Dean, Associate Dean for Research, Chairman of the Department of Finance and Graduate Advisor. She was also an editor of the Review of Financial Studies from 2008-2014 and has won a number of research and teaching awards in her career. Her current research focuses on mutual funds, corporate governance institutional investors and environmental, social and governance investing. She has served on the Boards of Directors of the four national academic finance organizations: the American Finance Association, the Financial Management Association (FMA), the Society of Financial Studies (SFS) and the Western Finance Association (WFA). She is past president of the FMA and WFA and is currently President of the SFS. She is a past Chairman of the Graduate Assembly for the University of Texas at Austin, the elected faculty council that governs the University’s graduate programs, and served on the Executive Committee of the University Faculty Council. She is an independent director for CREF Retirement Accounts and TIAA-CREF Mutual Funds, serves on the Investment Advisory Committee for the Employees Retirement System of Texas, the Board of Governors of the Investment Company Institute, and the Governing Council of the Independent Directors Council. She has also served on the 2013 Strategy Council and the 2014 Expert Panel for the Norwegian Government Pension Fund (the largest sovereign wealth fund in the world).

Publications

Stuart L. Gillan, Jay C. Hartzell, Andrew Koch, and Laura T. Starks. 2018. Getting the Incentives Right: Backfilling and Biases in Executive Compensation Data. Review of Financial Studies 31(4), 1460-1498.
Natasha Burns, Kristina Minnick, and Laura T. Starks. 2017. CEO Tournaments: A Cross-Country Analysis of Causes, Cultural Influences, and Consequences. Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis 52(2), 519-551.
Joseph A. McCahery, Zacharias Sautner, and Laura T. Starks. 2016. Behind the Scenes: The Corporate Governance Preferences of Institutional Investors. Journal of Finance 71(6), 2905-2932.
Daehyun Kim and Laura T. Starks. 2016. Gender Diversity on Corporate Boards: Do Women Contribute Unique Skills? American Economic Review 106(5), 267-271.
Martijn Cremers, Miguel A. Ferreira, Pedro Matos, and Laura T. Starks. 2016. Indexing and Active Fund Management: International Evidence. Journal of Financial Economics 120(3), 539-560.
Clemens Sialm, Laura T. Starks, and Hanjiang Zhang. 2015. Defined Contribution Pension Plans: Mutual Fund Asset Allocation Changes. American Economic Review 105(5), 432-436.
Clemens Sialm, Laura T. Starks, and Hanjiang Zhang. 2015. Defined Contribution Pension Plans: Sticky or Discerning Money? Journal of Finance 70(2), 805-828.
Eliezer M. Fich, Laura T. Starks, and Adam. S. Yore. 2014. CEO Deal-Making Activities and Compensation. Journal of Financial Economics 114(3), 471-492.
Laura T. Starks and Kelsey D. Wei. 2013. Cross-Border Mergers and Differences in Corporate Governance. International Review of Finance 13(3), 265-297.
Kelsey D. Wei and Laura T. Starks. 2013. Foreign Exchange Exposure Elasticity and Financial Distress. Financial Management 42(4), 709-735.
Clemens Sialm and Laura T. Starks. 2012. Mutual Fund Tax Clienteles. Journal of Finance 67(4), 1397-1422.
Ron Kaniel, Arzu Ozoguz, and Laura T. Starks. 2012. The high volume return premium: Cross-country evidence. Journal of Financial Economics 103(2), 255-279.
Laura T. Starks. 2009. EFA Keynote Speech: "Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility: What Do Investors Care About? What Should Investors Care About?". Financial Review 44(4), 461-468.
Alexander Ljundqvist, Felicia Marston, Laura T. Starks, Kelsey Wei, and Hong Yan. 2007. Conflicts of Interest in Sellside Research and the Moderating Role of Institutional Investors. Journal of Financial Economics 85, 420-456.
Gillan, Stuart L. and Laura T. Starks. 2007. The Evolution of Shareholder Activism in the United States. Journal of Applied Corporate Finance 19, 55-73,19p.
Richard W. Sias, Laura T. Starks, and Sheridan Titman. 2006. Changes in Institutional Ownership and Stock Returns: Assessment and Methodology. Journal of Business 79, 2869-2910.
Laura T. Starks, Li Yong, and Lu Zheng. 2006. Tax-loss Selling and the January Effect: Evidence from Municipal Bond Closed-End Funds. Journal of Finance 61, 3049-3067.
Jay C. Hartzell, Andres Almazan, and Laura T. Starks. 2005. Active Institutional Shareholders and Costs of Monitoring: Evidence from Executive Compensation. Financial Management (Financial Management Association) 34, p5-34.
Joseph Golec and Laura T. Starks. 2004. Performance Fee Contract Change and Mutual Fund Risk. Journal of Financial Economics 73, 93-118.
Stuart L. Gillan and Laura T. Starks. 2003. Corporate Governance, Corporate Ownership, and the Role of Institutional Investors: A Global Perspective. Journal of Applied Finance 13, 4-22.
James A. Bennett, Richard W. Sias, and Laura T. Starks. 2003. Greener Pastures and the Impact of Dynamic Institutional Preferences. Review of Financial Studies 16.
Jay C. Hartzell and Laura T. Starks. 2003. Institutional Investors and Executive Compensation. Journal of Finance 58, 2351-2374.
Neil Doherty, Joan Lamm-Tennant, and Laura T. Starks. 2003. Insuring September 11th: Market Recovery and Transparency. Journal of Risk and Uncertainty 26, 179-199.
Robert Parrino, Richard W. Sias, and Laura T. Starks. 2003. Voting With Their Feet: Institutional Ownership Changes Around Forced CEO Turnover. Journal of Financial Economics 68, 3-46.
Mark Huson, Robert Parrino, and Laura T. Starks. 2001. Internal Monitoring Mechanisms and CEO Turnover: A Long-term Perspective. Journal of Finance 56, 2265-2297.
Richard Sias, Laura T. Starks, and Sena Tinic. 2001. Is Noise Trader Risk Priced? Journal of Financial Research 24, 311-329.
Stuart Gillan and Laura T. Starks. 2000. Corporate Governance Proposals and Shareholder Activism: The Role of Institutional Investors. Journal of Financial Economics 57, 275-305.
Laura T. Starks. 1999. Corporate Governance and Institutional Investors: Implications for Latin America. AB ANTE, Estudios en Direccion de Empresas 2, 161-182.
Paul Laux, Laura T. Starks, and Pyung Yoon. 1998. The Relative Importance of Competition and Contagion in Intra-Industry Information Transfers: An Investigation of Dividend Announcements. Financial Management 27, 5-16.
Kemal Saatcioglu and Laura T. Starks. 1998. The Stock Price-Volume Relationship in Emerging Stock Markets. International Journal of Forecasting 14, 215-225.
Keith C. Brown and Laura T. Starks. 1997. Getting the Compensation Structure Right in the Mutual Fund Industry. Strategy and Business 7, 16-18.
Richard Sias and Laura T. Starks. 1997. Institutions, Individuals and the Turn-of-the Year. Journal of Finance 52, 1543-1562.
Richard Sias and Laura T. Starks. 1997. Return Autocorrelations and Institutional Investors. Journal of Financial Economics 46, 103-11.
Joan Lamm-Tennant, Laura T. Starks, and Lynne Stokes. 1996. Considerations of Cost Trade-Offs in Insurance Solvency Surveillance Policy. Journal of Banking and Finance 20, 835-852.
Keith C. Brown, Van Harlow, and Laura T. Starks. 1996. Of Tournaments and Temptations: An Analysis of Managerial Incentives in the Mutual Fund Industry. Journal of Finance 51, 85-110.
Kathy Rehbein and Laura T. Starks. 1995. Changes in U.S. Trade Policies: The Wealth Effects on Japanese Steel Firms. Japan and the World Economy 7, 309-327.
Pyung Yoon and Laura T. Starks. 1995. Signaling, Investment Opportunities and Dividend Announcements. Review of Financial Studies 8, 995-1018.
Richard Sias and Laura T. Starks. 1995. The Day of the Week Anomaly: The Role of Institutional Investors. Financial Analysts Journal 51, 58-67.
Keith C. Brown and Laura T. Starks. 1994. Mutual Fund Managers. Discovery 14, 14-19.
A.J. Senchack and Laura T. Starks. 1993. Short Sale Restrictions and Market Reaction to Short Interest Announcements. Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis 28, 177-194.
Joan Lamm-Tennant and Laura T. Starks. 1993. Stocks Versus Mutual Ownership Structures: The Risk Implications. Journal of Business 66, 29-46.
Joan Lamm-Tennant, Laura T. Starks, and Lynne Stokes. 1992. An Empirical Bayes Approach to Estimating Loss Ratios. Journal of Risk and Insurance 59, 426-442.
Stefanie Lenway, Kathy Rehbein, and Laura T. Starks. 1990. The Impact of Protectionism on Firm Wealth: The Experience of the Steel Industry. Southern Economics Journal 56, 1079-1093.
Michael Smirlock and Laura T. Starks. 1988. An Empirical Analysis of the Stock Price-Volume Relationship. Journal of Banking and Finance 12, 31-41.
Susan Cohen and Laura T. Starks. 1988. Estimation Risk and Incentive Contracts for Portfolio Relationship. Management Science 34, 1067-1079.
Laura T. Starks. 1987. Performance Incentive Fees: An Agency Theoretic Approach. Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis 22, 17-32.
Michael Smirlock and Laura T. Starks. 1986. Day of the Week and Intraday Effects in Stock Returns. Journal of Financial Economics 17, 197-210.
Robert Jennings and Laura T. Starks. 1986. Earnings Announcements, Stock Price Adjustments and the Existence of Exchange-Listed Options. Journal of Finance 41, 107-125.
Michael Smirlock and Laura T. Starks. 1985. A Further Examination of Stock Price Changes and Transactions Volume. Journal of Financial Research 8, 217-225.
Robert Jennings and Laura T. Starks. 1985. Information Content and the Speed of Stock Price Adjustment. Journal of Accounting Research 23, 336-350.
Christopher Barry and Laura T. Starks. 1984. Investment Management and Risk Sharing with Multiple Managers. Journal of Finance 39, 477-491.
Robert Jennings, Laura T. Starks, and John Fellingham. 1981. An Equilibrium Model of Asset Trading with Sequential Information Arrival. Journal of Finance 36, 143-161.

Professional Awards

Kepos Capital Award, Best Paper on Investments at the WFA for "Defined Contribution Plans: Sticky or Discerning?"2014
S&P Dow Jones Indices' SPIVA Awards Second Prize for "The Mutual Fund Industry Worldwide...."2014
Eyes of Texas Award for Service to The University of Texas at Austin2012
Alpha Kappa Psi Best Professor Award2012
China International Conference in Finance TCW Best Paper Award for “Advertising and Mutual Funds..."2010
Midwest Finance Association Distinguished Scholar Award2010
MBA Applause Award, selected by MBA students as an outstanding professor 2008
Eastern Finance Association Distinguished Scholar Award2007
Southern Finance Association Distinguished Scholar Award2005
Journal of Financial Economics Fama-DFA Second Prize2004
Journal of Financial Research Outstanding Article Award2001
Financial Management Association Meetings Award for Best Paper in Corporate Finance1998
Western Finance Association Award for Best Paper in Corporate Finance Award1997
Smith Breeden Distinguished Paper Award, Journal of Finance1996
Fellow, Financial Management Association
FMA European Meetings Best Paper Award 2003, 2004

Page last updated: 6/21/2018