Cybersecurity disclosure, board oversight, and financial performance: Evidence from European banking

This study investigates whether voluntary cybersecurity disclosure (CSD) operates as a value-relevant governance mechanism in European banking. Drawing on stakeholder, agency, and signaling theories, we argue that credible cyber transparency reduces information asymmetry, strengthens legitimacy, and signals operational resilience to investors and regulators (Berkman et al., 2018; Alsadoun & Albaz, 2025). Using an unbalanced panel of 5,742 bank-year observations from 638 banks across 25 European countries (2014–2022), we construct a binary CSD indicator based on manual content analysis of annual reports and estimate pooled ordinary least squares (OLS), fixed-effects (FE), and two-step system generalized method of moments (GMM) models. The results show that CSD is positively associated with both accounting performance (return on equity, ROE) and market valuation (Tobin’s Q). These effects are stronger in banks with higher leverage and stronger board oversight, including greater audit committee expertise, board gender diversity, independence, and board skills. Our findings suggest that CSD is not merely a compliance exercise but a board-level governance tool that enhances financial outcomes and supports emerging regulatory initiatives such as the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA). The study offers policy-relevant insights for regulators, investors, and bank executives seeking to align digital resilience with sustainable financial performance.