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The Effects of Analyst‐Country Institutions on Biased Research: Evidence from Target Prices

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  • MARK T. BRADSHAW
  • ALAN G. HUANG
  • HONGPING TAN

Abstract

Prior research demonstrates that a strong institutional infrastructure in a country moderates self‐serving behavior of market participants. Cross‐country economic activities have increased significantly, presenting a research opportunity to examine the relative influence of local versus foreign institutional infrastructure on individual market participants. We utilize variation in analyst‐country location relative to covered firm location to examine institutional determinants of optimism in analyst research. Focusing on target prices, where persistent optimism is well documented, we find that analysts domiciled in countries with stronger institutional infrastructures exhibit significantly attenuated target price optimism and more value‐relevant target prices. Our results demonstrate the importance of domestic country‐level institutional factors in moderating self‐serving behavior of market participants engaged in cross‐country activities.

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  • Mark T. Bradshaw & Alan G. Huang & Hongping Tan, 2019. "The Effects of Analyst‐Country Institutions on Biased Research: Evidence from Target Prices," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(1), pages 85-120, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:joares:v:57:y:2019:i:1:p:85-120
    DOI: 10.1111/1475-679X.12245
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    7. Stolowy, Hervé & Paugam, Luc & Gendron, Yves, 2022. "Competing for narrative authority in capital markets: Activist short sellers vs. financial analysts," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
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    11. Roberto Pascual, 2021. "Do analysts forecast differently in periods of uncertainty? An empirical analysis of target prices for Spanish banks," Working Papers 2144, Banco de España.
    12. Connie X. Mao & Wei-Ling Song, 2021. "Does Reciprocity Affect Analysts’ Incentives to Release Timely Information? Evidence from Syndication Relationships in Securities Underwriting," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(1), pages 617-639, January.
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    14. Bolognesi, Enrica & Burchi, Alberto, 2023. "The impact of the ESG disclosure on sell-side analysts’ target prices: The new era post Paris agreements," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    15. Markus Buxbaum & Wolfgang Schultze & Samuel L. Tiras, 2023. "Do analysts’ target prices stabilize the stock market?," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 61(3), pages 763-816, October.
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