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Asset tangibility, industry representation and the cross section of equity returns

Author

Listed:
  • Paul Docherty

    (Newcastle Business School, The University of Newcastle, Australia, Paul.Docherty@newcastle.edu.au)

  • Howard Chan

    (Department of Finance, The University of Melbourne, Australia)

  • Steve Easton

    (Newcastle Business School, The University of Newcastle, Australia)

Abstract

Recent theory relates expected returns and covariant risk to the investment decisions of a firm across certain stages of the business cycle. Using the Australian accounting environment that provides a wider scope for the capitalisation of intangible assets compared with the United States, this paper tests the relationship between asset tangibility and returns within the Fama and MacBeth (1973) framework. A relationship is found to exist between asset tangibility and the cross-section of equity returns. This relationship is most evident in the materials industry, which is characterised by irreversible, firm-specific assets. These results persist after controlling for firm characteristics that Fama and French (1992) show are related to returns, although the effect is largely driven by microcap stocks.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Docherty & Howard Chan & Steve Easton, 2011. "Asset tangibility, industry representation and the cross section of equity returns," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 36(1), pages 75-87, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ausman:v:36:y:2011:i:1:p:75-87
    DOI: 10.1177/0312896211399200
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eugene F. Fama & Kenneth R. French, 2008. "Dissecting Anomalies," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 63(4), pages 1653-1678, August.
    2. Joao Gomes & Leonid Kogan & Lu Zhang, 2003. "Equilibrium Cross Section of Returns," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 111(4), pages 693-732, August.
    3. Fama, Eugene F & MacBeth, James D, 1973. "Risk, Return, and Equilibrium: Empirical Tests," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 81(3), pages 607-636, May-June.
    4. Paul Docherty & Howard Chan & Steve Easton, 2010. "Tangibility and investment irreversibility in asset pricing," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 50(4), pages 809-827, December.
    5. Gray, Philip & Johnson, Jessica, 2011. "The relationship between asset growth and the cross-section of stock returns," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 670-680, March.
    6. Ilan Cooper, 2006. "Asset Pricing Implications of Nonconvex Adjustment Costs and Irreversibility of Investment," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(1), pages 139-170, February.
    7. Fama, Eugene F & French, Kenneth R, 1992. "The Cross-Section of Expected Stock Returns," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 47(2), pages 427-465, June.
    8. Fama, Eugene F. & French, Kenneth R., 1997. "Industry costs of equity," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 153-193, February.
    9. Jonathan B. Berk & Richard C. Green & Vasant Naik, 1999. "Optimal Investment, Growth Options, and Security Returns," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 54(5), pages 1553-1607, October.
    10. Lu Zhang, 2005. "The Value Premium," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 60(1), pages 67-103, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kent Wang & Jiawei Li & Shicheng Huang, 2013. "Bad beta good beta, state-space news decomposition and the cross-section of stock returns," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 53(2), pages 587-607, June.
    2. Cao, Viet Nga & Gray, Philip & Zhong, Angel, 2019. "Investment-related anomalies in Australia: Evidence and explanations," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 97-109.
    3. Karen Benson & Peter M Clarkson & Tom Smith & Irene Tutticci, 2015. "A review of accounting research in the Asia Pacific region," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 40(1), pages 36-88, February.
    4. repec:wyi:journl:002153 is not listed on IDEAS

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