Darryl Laws
What robustness checks were conducted? Malmendier and Tate discuss the robustness of their results to the changes in the empirical model. Simply stated they focused upon the baseline estimates of binary regression equation provided in regression method use (above). First, they considered; Is the Option in the Money? Their CEO stock option long holder measure of overconfidence is they classify a CEO as overconfident if he ever holds his company stock option(s) until expiration. The less an option is in the money, the less delayed exercise indicates likely overconfidence. As a robustness check of their measure, they require that the option that is held until expiration be at least x% in the money at the beginning of its final year. They vary x between 0 and 100 by increments of 10. As they increase x, the classification as overconfident becomes more restrictive. Concurrently, they hold the definition of rational option exercise behavior constant. (Example: they require that the CE...