Do letters to shareholders have information content?

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prapaporn Kiattikulwattana
Keyword(s):  
Information Content ◽  
Abnormal Returns ◽  
Inside Information ◽  
Market Returns ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Unexpected Earnings ◽  
Future Performance ◽  
Incremental Information ◽  
Negative Effect

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the information content in letters to shareholders in terms of business content, tone and types of business vocabulary.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses multiple regression models to test the information content concerning business content, tone, and types of business vocabulary in letters to shareholders. Two textual analyses in accounting research dictionaries are used. Loughran and McDonald’s (2011) dictionary is used as a scheme to identify the positive and negative words, and Kothariet al.’s (2009) dictionary is used to identify the business vocabulary.FindingsLetters to shareholders contain incremental information for investors. First, the results show that the market reacts negatively to the content of these letters. The more that business content is disclosed, the lower the abnormal returns. It can be seen that investors catch additional information from letters to shareholders. Second, investors in negative unexpected earnings firms tend to not trust the concentration of positive tone in the letters. Third, some types of business vocabulary in the letters have an influence on investors’ decisions. In addition, larger amounts of business content are seen to be negatively related to firms’ future performance.Practical implicationsDue to the effect of the content of letters to shareholders, the Securities Exchange Commission may wish to consider the results of this study before setting new disclosure regulations. Specifically, some inside information might have a negative effect on market returns.Originality/valueThe study indicates that letters to shareholders are a disclosure venue between companies and investors, where investors react to certain business vocabulary. Some business words are associated with lower future performance. Therefore, the market reacts negatively when these words are reported in the letters.

Comparing the informativeness of sustainability disclosures versus ESG disclosure ratings

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Li Eng ◽  
Mahelet Fikru ◽  
Thanyaluk Vichitsarawong
Keyword(s):  
Information Content ◽  
Firm Value ◽  
Stock Price ◽  
Market Value ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Company Valuation ◽  
Incremental Information ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Different Sources ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of sustainability disclosures and disclosure ratings on firm value. This paper compares the informativeness of sustainability disclosures in company reports versus environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure ratings. The authors examine the extent to which they provide incremental information. Design/methodology/approach The sample consists of panel data from over 2,600 publicly-listed non-financial US companies for the period 2014–2018. The authors obtain sustainability disclosures from Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Navigator and ESG disclosure scores from Bloomberg. The authors regress market value and/or stock price on sustainability disclosures and ESG scores to evaluate information content. Findings ESG scores are positively associated with market value and price. Sustainability disclosures in the form of metrics and company-tailored narratives provide incremental information content on market value and/or price. Boilerplate disclosures reduce market value and price. Sustainability disclosures and ESG scores provide incremental information, suggesting that it would be beneficial to harmonize standards for reporting sustainability disclosures. Research limitations/implications The limitation is that the authors have only considered sustainability disclosures for a sample of US companies from two sources – SASB Navigator and Bloomberg. Practical implications The paper provides some evidence that may be pertinent to the debate on whether to harmonize the guidance on reporting sustainability issues. Social implications The paper provides evidence on the benefits to firms for reporting sustainability issues. Originality/value This paper is among the first to analyze company sustainability disclosures obtained from two different sources – SASB Navigator and ESG disclosure ratings – and compare them for relevance for company valuation. With SASB Navigator, the authors obtain further refinement into the nature of the information provided in the sustainability disclosures, that is, boilerplate, company-tailored or metrics disclosures.

Value creation of EVA and traditional accounting measures: Indian evidence

2016 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 436-459 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijay Kumar Gupta ◽  
Ekta Sikarwar
Keyword(s):  
Stock Returns ◽  
Information Content ◽  
Performance Measures ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Performance Measure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Financial Measures ◽  
Incremental Information

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the superiority of economic value added (EVA) over the traditional accounting performance measures, i.e. earnings per share, return on assets and return on equity. For this purpose, the relative and incremental information content of EVA and accounting measures are tested by examining the relationship of these measures with stock returns. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis is performed for a sample of 50 Indian companies selected from the index Nifty 50 for the period of 2008-2011. The penal regression models are applied to examine the relative and incremental information content of EVA and traditional performance measures. Findings – The study finds that EVA has more relevant and incremental information content than accounting measures for analyzing shareholder value creation. These results confirm that EVA is better performance measure than traditional accounting measures. Research limitations/implications – The study could be further extended for the sample of other firms covering the specific industries and sectors. The calculation of EVA could be modified with respect to the adjustment in profit after tax and the calculation of cost of capital. Practical implications – The study has implications for the managers who are responsible to generate the wealth of shareholders by formulating the corporate financial policies. The findings also help investors who are closely concerned with the financial health of the firm while taking their investment decisions. Originality/value – The novelty of this study is that it relates total return of firm’s stock with the financial measures unlike the previous literature.

scholarly journals The use of the recognition heuristic as an investment strategy in European stock markets

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (43) ◽  
pp. 207-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Júlio Lobão ◽  
Luís Pacheco ◽  
Carlos Pereira
Keyword(s):  
Financial Markets ◽  
Abnormal Returns ◽  
Investment Strategy ◽  
Google Trends ◽  
Recognition Heuristic ◽  
Monthly Basis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Market Portfolio ◽  
Heuristic Strategies

Purpose People often face constraints such as a lack of time or information in taking decisions, which leads them to use heuristics. In these situations, fast and frugal rules may be useful for making adaptive decisions with fewer resources, even if it leads to suboptimal choices. When applied to financial markets, the recognition heuristic predicts that investors acquire the stocks that they are aware of, thereby inflating the price of the most recognized stocks. This paper aims to study the profitability against the market of the most recognized stocks in Europe. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, the authors perform a survey and use Google Trends to study the profitability against the market of the most recognized stocks in Europe. Findings The authors conclude that a recognition heuristic portfolio yields poorer returns than a market portfolio. In contrast, from the data collected on Google Trends, weak evidence was found that strong increases in companies monthly search volumes may lead to abnormal returns in the following month. Research limitations/implications The applied investment strategy does not account for transaction costs, which may jeopardize its profitability given the fact that it is necessary to revise the portfolio on a monthly basis. Despite the results obtained, they are useful to understanding the performance of recognition heuristic strategies over a comprehensive time horizon, and it would be interesting to depict its viability during different market conditions. This analysis could provide additional information about a preferable scenario for employing our strategies and, ultimately, enhance the profitability of recognition heuristic strategies. Practical implications Through the exhaustive analysis performed here on the recognition heuristic in the European stock market, it is possible to conclude that no evidence was found for the viability of exploring this type of strategy. In fact, the investors would always gain better returns when adopting a passive investment strategy. Therefore, it would be wise to assume that the European market presents at least a degree of efficiency where no investment would yield abnormal returns following the recognition heuristic. Originality/value The main objective of this paper is to study the performance of the recognition heuristic in the financial markets and to contribute to the knowledge in this field. Although many authors have already studied this heuristic when applied to financial markets, there is a lack of consensus in the literature.

Is User-Generated Twittersphere Activity Associated with Stock Market Reactions to 8-K Filings?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROGER DEBRECENY ◽  
Asheq Rahman ◽  
TAWEI WANG
Keyword(s):  
Information Content ◽  
Trading Volume ◽  
Abnormal Returns ◽  
Market Returns ◽  
Stock Valuation ◽  
Market Reactions ◽  
Stock Liquidity ◽  
Economic Significance ◽  
Corporate Announcements ◽  
Stock Market Reactions

Prior studies have demonstrated that company-generated tweets as a device for the dissemination of corporate announcements help reduce information asymmetry. This paper demonstrates that user-generated tweets around corporate announcements have information content in addition to the information content of the announcement itself. Using a sample of S&P 1500 firms, we test the effects of abnormal levels of user-generated tweets and abnormal sentiment in the tweets over the three days surrounding 8-K filings of unanticipated events on market returns and liquidity of stocks. Results show that abnormal levels of user-generated tweets are positively associated with both the absolute cumulative abnormal returns and cumulative abnormal trading volume. We also find an indication of a cautionary stance by the market when sentiment is negative around the announcements. Our results have economic significance from both the stock valuation and the stock liquidity perspectives.

When no news is good news: failing to increase dividends

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Michayluk ◽  
Karyn Neuhauser ◽  
Scott Walker
Keyword(s):  
Contrast Effect ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Abnormal Returns ◽  
Good News ◽  
Sample Design ◽  
Market Returns ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dividend Announcements ◽  
Effect Hypothesis ◽  
Dividend Increases

PurposeThe study's purpose is to examine market returns around dividend announcements that contrast with a pattern of prior dividend announcements.Design/methodology/approachThe paper identifies firms that have a smooth dividend pattern of once-a-year dividend increases but at some point break that pattern and announce an unchanged dividend. The sample design allows the opportunity to investigate the market reaction to unchanged dividend announcements when an increase was likely to have been expected.FindingsThe results indicate that failing to increase the dividend is associated with significantly positive abnormal returns that are greater in magnitude for more entrenched dividend-increase records, supporting a contrast-effect hypothesis.Originality/valueThe results indicate that dividends are interpreted not only relative to the immediate dividend amount but also how the decision contrasts with dividends over a prolonged period. This finding suggests that the information content of the announcement of an unchanged dividend can vary according to the prior dividend pattern.

Information content of web-based stock ratings: the case of Motley fool CAPS data

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-410
Author(s):  
Arvind Mahajan
Keyword(s):  
Information Content ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Abnormal Returns ◽  
Predictive Ability ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Stock Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Unique Data ◽  
Asset Pricing Models

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to answer a fundamental question – are individual stock picks by a particular internet investment community informative enough to beat the market? The author observes that the stock picks by the CAPS community are reflective of existing information and portfolios based upon CAPS community stock rankings do not generate abnormal returns. The CAPS community is good at tracking existing performance but, it lacks predictive ability. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a unique data set of stock ratings from Motley Fools CAPS community to determine the information content embedded in these ratings. Observing predictive ability of this web-based stock ratings forum will raise questions about the efficiency of the financial markets. The author forms stock portfolios based on stocks’ star ratings, and star rating changes, and test if the long-short portfolio strategy generates significant α after controlling for single, and multi-factor asset pricing models, such as Fama-French three-factor model and Carhart four-factor model. Findings The paper finds no evidence that the CAPS community ratings contain “information content,” which can be exploited to generate abnormal returns. CAPS community ratings are good at tracking existing stock performance, but cannot be used to make superior forecasts to generate abnormal returns. The findings are consistent with the efficient market hypothesis. Furthermore, the author provides evidence that CAPS community ratings are themselves determined by stock performance rather than the other way around. Originality/value The study employs a unique data set capturing the stock ratings of a very popular web-based investment community to evaluate its ability to make better than random forecasts. Besides applying well-accepted asset pricing models to generate α, the study conducts causality tests to discern a causal relation between stock ratings and stock performance.

scholarly journals The performance of Shariah-compliant companies during and after the recession period – evidence from companies listed on the FTSE All World Index

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 573-587 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Tahir ◽  
Salma Ibrahim
Keyword(s):  
Least Square ◽  
Market Returns ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Return On Equity ◽  
Ordinary Least Square ◽  
Price Earnings Ratio ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Ordinary Least Square Regression ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Recession Period

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the relative performance of Shariah-compliant companies (SCCs) compared to conventional companies. This study focuses on two periods, the first being the recession period of 2007-2010 and the second, the non-recession period of 2011-2014. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative approach is adopted using an ordinary least square regression model. The chosen variables are those used by previous researchers in conventional studies of corporate performance. Data are selected from individual companies listed on the FTSE All World Index. This study examines two periods of time: the recession of 2007-2010 and the post-recession years of 2011-2014 to analyse performance measured by accounting returns (return on equity, return on asset and earnings per share) and market returns (stock return and price/earnings ratio). Findings The study found that SCCs outperformed non-Shariah compliant companies, in terms of both accounting and market returns during both periods. It was also found that size has a negative effect on performance during both periods. The degree of risk, leverage and growth has no significance in either period, but cash flow from operations has a positive effect on performance in both. Research limitations/implications The study could beneficially be extended by the inclusion of corporate governance variables to assess how these affect performance in SCCs. Originality/value In contrast to previous research carried out on indices, this study uses data from individual companies listed on the FTSE All World Index. It provides insight into the way Shariah ethics can influence performance and suggests that some of the features could be useful if adopted by conventional companies.

Shock events and corporate announcements

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Ferretti ◽  
Giorgia Profumo ◽  
Ilaria Tutore
Keyword(s):  
Stock Price ◽  
Abnormal Returns ◽  
Potential Effect ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Announcements ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Shock Event ◽  
The Right

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to verify if, in case of a shock event, there are types of corporate announcement that may influence stock price behaviour better than others. The authors also try to determine if the communication strategy may be affected by the type of shock event. Design/methodology/approach – Using the event study analysis, the authors estimate the Cumulative Abnormal Returns associated to the stocks of the selected firms hit by a shock event, in order to visualise the effectiveness of different types of corporate announcements after the event. Findings – The research confirms the negative effect of shock events on corporate stocks’ value. Moreover, the study envisages that financial market rewards companies that assume consistent and reassuring announcements during the event window. The authors also find that the effectiveness of corporate announcements is related to the shock’s typology. Research limitations/implications – The study employs a small and unbalanced sample of shock events. Moreover, it does not exist a generally accepted criterion to define and classify corporate announcements and the authors cannot exclude the influence of the media in the categorisation process of the announcements. Practical implications – Since shock events may threat firms’ survival, by knowing which response strategy fits better a shock situation, a manager can assess the potential effect of his communication options and choose the right type of announcement. Originality/value – There is a lack of literature on this theme, in particular on the effects that the different corporate announcements following a shock event may have on shareholders’ value.

Effect of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on for-profit hospitals in the USA

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-215
Author(s):  
Paul Sergius Koku
Keyword(s):  
Affordable Care Act ◽  
Stock Prices ◽  
Abnormal Returns ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Patient Protection ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Study Methodology

Purpose This study aims to examine the effect of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on for-profit hospitals in the USA. Design/methodology/approach The study uses the event study methodology to examine the stock market’s reaction to the passage of the PPACA. Findings The results of the analysis do not show a negative effect; on the contrary, the stock prices of for-profit hospitals increased, on average, by 6%. The cumulative abnormal returns were 5.64% with a generalized z-value of 3.851 with a significance level of 0.001 (two-tailed test). This translates into an average gain of $230,537,096 for the four days (dates) that a positive step was taken in making the Affordable Care Act (ACA) a law of the country. Practical implications Because the study suggests that for-profit hospitals will be profitable under the PPACA, one could expect to see growth or, at the minimum, expansion in for-profit hospitals under the Act. Furthermore, and consistent with the principles of marketing, one would expect all the for-profit hospitals, at this nascent stage of the ACA, to pull resources together to promote the benefits of having the ACA. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effect of the PPACA on the operations of for-profit hospitals.

Excess offer premium and acquirers’ performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 407-425
Author(s):  
Won-Seok Woo ◽  
Suhyun Cho ◽  
Kyung-Hee Park ◽  
Jinho Byun
Keyword(s):  
Market Reaction ◽  
Abnormal Returns ◽  
Market Returns ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Acquiring Firms ◽  
Study Methodology ◽  
Long Term Performance ◽  
Term Performance ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the causes of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals that acquiring firms pay excess premium beyond the market-expected level and examine the relation between the announcement return and long-term performance of the acquiring firms.Design/methodology/approachBased on a sample of 1,767 US firms’ M&A deals from 2000 to 2014, the authors use the expectation model used by Ang and Ismail (2015) to measure normal offer premium in an M&A deal. They conduct the standard event study methodology to observe the market reaction for acquiring companies on the announcement day. Buy-and-hold abnormal returns are used for the main explanatory variable so as to find the impact of the premium paid on the long-term performance of the acquirer.FindingsFirst, acquiring firms are faced with negative market returns when acquiring firms pay excess premiums. Second, poor long-term performance of the acquiring firms is observed if acquiring firms pay excess premium. Finally, the negative relation between excess premium and acquiring firms’ long-term performance weakens, as the sample period becomes longer.Research limitations/implicationsThe hypotheses and results of the empirical study are as follows. First, the acquirer’s market reaction on the announcement day is negative when it pays an excess offer premium. This is because the market perceives the premium to be greater than the value of the deal, which damages the value of the market, as it is not perceived as a proxy for future synergy. Second, the acquirer’s long-term performance is low when it pays the excess offer premium. It is the same result as the acquirer’s market reaction on the announcement day. This shows that the excess premium does not result in either a short-term positive reaction or a long-term profit for the acquiring shareholders. However, it is found that the relationship between the excess premium and the long-term performance of the acquirer decreases with time. This is because the long-term performance of the acquirer is more affected by management and other events after the deal.Originality/valueThe authors divide the total premium paid into the normal offer premium and the excess premium, and their focus is on the excess premium part. The main contribution of this paper is that it analyzes how the excess premium affects the market reaction on the announcement day and the long-term performance of acquiring firms.

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