The impact of CEO marital status on corporate financialization

This paper explores the impact of CEO marital status on corporate financialization. Based on empirical analysis using data from Chinese A-share listed companies from 2007 to 2023, the study finds a significant negative association between married CEOs and corporate financialization. Mechanism tests reveal that married CEOs reduce financialization investments by decreasin g myopic tendencies and focusing on core business operations. Additionally, heterogeneity analysis shows that this effect varies significantly across CEO gender and different internal/external corporate environments. Overall, the empirical results indicate that CEO marital status plays a critical role in financial decision-making in emerging markets.