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Market reaction to earnings news: A unified test of information risk and transaction costs

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  • Zhang, Qi
  • Cai, Charlie X.
  • Keasey, Kevin

Abstract

We examine how information risk and transaction costs influence the initial and subsequent market reaction to earnings news. We find that the initial market reaction is higher per unit of earnings surprise for higher information risk firms (information content effect). Furthermore, it is information risk that induces transaction costs that limit the initial market reaction and lead to higher subsequent drift (transaction costs effect). Information risk does not have an effect on drift beyond that achieved through transaction costs. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding the linkage between information risk and transaction costs in price discovery around public disclosure.

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  • Zhang, Qi & Cai, Charlie X. & Keasey, Kevin, 2013. "Market reaction to earnings news: A unified test of information risk and transaction costs," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 251-266.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jaecon:v:56:y:2013:i:2:p:251-266
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jacceco.2013.08.002
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    2. A. William Richardson & Kevin Veenstra, 2022. "The Post‐earnings Announcement Drift: A Pre‐earnings Announcement Effect? A Multi‐period Analysis," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 58(4), pages 648-678, December.
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    5. Chung, Kee H. & Kim, Oliver & Lim, Steve C. & Yang, Sean, 2019. "An analytical measure of market underreaction to earnings news," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 612-624.
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    7. Goh, Jihoon & Jeon, Byoung-Hyun, 2017. "Post-earnings-announcement-drift and 52-week high: Evidence from Korea," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 150-159.
    8. Fenghua Wen & Yujie Yuan & Wei-Xing Zhou, 2019. "Cross-shareholding networks and stock price synchronicity: Evidence from China," Papers 1903.01655, arXiv.org.
    9. Gungoraydinoglu, Ali & Çolak, Gönül & Öztekin, Özde, 2017. "Political environment, financial intermediation costs, and financing patterns," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 167-192.
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    14. Martineau, Charles, 2021. "Rest in Peace Post-Earnings Announcement Drift," SocArXiv z7k3p, Center for Open Science.
    15. Edward A. E. Jones & Anthony K. Kyiu & Hao Li, 2021. "Earnings informativeness and trading frequency: Evidence from African markets," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(1), pages 1064-1086, January.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Information risk; Transaction costs; Price discovery; Earnings announcements;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading

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