Liquidity minimization and cross-listing choice: Evidence based on Canadian shares cross-listed on U.S. venues

This paper examines whether a Canadian-listed firm seeking to cross-list in the U.S. needs to consider liquidity differences when making a choice among the main U.S. venues (AMEX, NYSE or NASDAQ). After controlling for firm characteristics, we find that trade costs for Canadian shares cross-listed in the U.S. do not depend on the U.S. cross-listing venue. This suggests that the choice of U.S. listing venue may be better motivated by the desire to minimize listing fees or to increase investor recognition and visibility.