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How do financial analysts interpret industrial firms' corporate refocusing announcements?

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  • Mak, Chun Yu

Abstract

This study investigates how analysts perceive the effect of corporate refocusing announcements on UK industrial firms' future earnings by examining current-year and one-year-ahead earnings forecast revisions, current-year target price revisions and earnings forecast errors in the five years surrounding a refocusing announcement year. The results reveal that analysts adjust their earnings forecasts downward in a refocusing announcement year and the following two years, predicting that operating performance in the post-refocusing period is likely to decline relative to their former earnings forecasts. Secondly, there is no evidence that analysts issue biased earnings forecasts after refocusing announcements or that their forecasts appear less accurate. Thirdly, they adjust their earnings forecasts downward in a refocusing announcement year with downward market movement. However, they do not similarly adjust their earnings forecast upward with upward market movement. The magnitude of downward adjustments exceeds that of upward adjustments. They also adjust current-year target price forecasts downward with downward market movement in the year prior to a refocusing announcement.

Suggested Citation

  • Mak, Chun Yu, 2017. "How do financial analysts interpret industrial firms' corporate refocusing announcements?," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(5), pages 493-511.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:bracre:v:49:y:2017:i:5:p:493-511
    DOI: 10.1016/j.bar.2016.10.003
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Corporate refocusing activities; Earnings forecast revisions; Target price revisions; Forecast errors;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • M40 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - General

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