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Pension Plan Funding and Stock Market Efficiency

Author

Listed:
  • Francesco Franzoni

    (GREGH - Groupement de Recherche et d'Etudes en Gestion à HEC - HEC Paris - Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • J. M. Marin

Abstract

The paper argues that the market significantly overvalues firms with severely underfunded pension plans. These companies earn lower stock returns than firms with healthier pension plans for at least five years after the first emergence of the underfunding. The low returns are not explained by risk, price momentum, earnings momentum, or accruals. Further, the evidence suggests that investors do not anticipate the impact of the pension liability on future earnings, and they are surprised when the negative implications of underfunding ultimately materialize. Finally, underfunded firms have poor operating performance, and they earn low returns, although they are value companies

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Franzoni & J. M. Marin, 2006. "Pension Plan Funding and Stock Market Efficiency," Post-Print halshs-00009850, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-00009850
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    MOMENTUM STRATEGIES; FINANCIAL RATIOS; CAPITAL-MARKETS; FUTURE EARNINGS; FULLY REFLECT; RISK; RETURNS; BANKRUPTCY; PRICES; PREDICTION;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • 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
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting

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