The Market Value of Differential Voting Rights in Closely Held Corporations

Abstract
This study extends research that documents a price difference between share classes that are differentiated only by voting rights. Six companies that have two publicly traded share classes are examined. For each firm, voting control is concentrated in the hands of principal officers and directors. Price differences between the share classes are observed even though none of the firms has been the target of a publicly announced takeover attempt or experienced an important change in the distribution of ownership of voting rights. Examination of the relative pricing of the share classes over time and around important corporate events fails to uncover the source of the price differences.