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Can Individual Investors Beat the Market?

Author

Listed:
  • JOSHUA D. COVAL

    (Harvard University - Finance Unit)

  • David Hirshleifer

    (Fisher College of Business, Ohio State University, Department of Finance)

  • TYLER G. SHUMWAY

    (University of Michigan)

Abstract

We document strong persistence in the performance of trades of individual investors. Investors classified in the top 10 percent place other trades that on average earn excess returns of 15 basis points per day. A rolling-forward strategy of going long firms purchased by previously successful investors and shorting firms purchased by previously unsuccessful investors results in excess returns of 5 basis points per day. These returns are not confined to small stocks nor to stocks in which the investors are likely to have inside information. Our results suggest that skillful individual investors exploit market inefficiencies to earn abnormal profits, above and beyond any profits available from well-known strategies based upon size, value, or momentum.

Suggested Citation

  • JOSHUA D. COVAL & David Hirshleifer & TYLER G. SHUMWAY, 2004. "Can Individual Investors Beat the Market?," Finance 0412005, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:wpa:wuwpfi:0412005
    Note: Type of Document - pdf; pages: 45. PDF
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Nicolosi, Gina & Peng, Liang & Zhu, Ning, 2009. "Do individual investors learn from their trading experience?," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 317-336, May.
    2. Glaser, Markus & Weber, Martin, 2009. "Which past returns affect trading volume?," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 1-31, February.
    3. Doron Sonsino & Tal Shavit, 2014. "Short-Run Arbitrage In Crisis Markets — Experimental Evidence," Annals of Financial Economics (AFE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 9(01), pages 1-60.
    4. David Hirshleifer & James N. Myers & Linda A. Myers & Siew Hong Teoh, 2004. "Do Individual Investors Drive Post-Earnings Announcement Drift? Direct Evidence from Personal Trades," Finance 0412003, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. HAMADI, Malika & RENGIFO, Erick & SALZMAN, Diego, 2005. "Illusionary finance and trading behavior," LIDAM Discussion Papers CORE 2005004, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
    6. Stephen Foerster, 2011. "Double then Nothing: Why Stock Investments Relying on Simple Heuristics May Disappoint," Review of Behavioral Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 3(2), pages 115-140, September.
    7. Malika, HAMADI & Erick, RENGIFO & Diego SALZMAN, 2004. "Illusionary Finance and Trading Behavior," Discussion Papers (ECON - Département des Sciences Economiques) 2005012, Université catholique de Louvain, Département des Sciences Economiques, revised 15 Jan 2005.
    8. David Ardia & Cl'ement Aymard & Tolga Cenesizoglu, 2023. "Fast and Furious: A High-Frequency Analysis of Robinhood Users' Trading Behavior," Papers 2307.11012, arXiv.org.
    9. Fung, Scott & Obaid, Khaled & Tsai, Shih-Chuan, 2024. "Information acquisition and processing skills of institutions and retail investors around information shocks," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    10. Dorn, Daniel & Strobl, Günter, 2023. "Rational disposition effects: Theory and evidence," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    11. Ivković, Zoran & Sialm, Clemens & Weisbenner, Scott, 2008. "Portfolio Concentration and the Performance of Individual Investors," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 43(3), pages 613-655, September.
    12. Ladley, Daniel, 2020. "The high frequency trade off between speed and sophistication," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    13. Andersson, Patric, 2004. "How well do financial experts perform? A review of empirical research on performance of analysts, day-traders, forecasters, fund managers, investors, and stockbrokers," SSE/EFI Working Paper Series in Business Administration 2004:9, Stockholm School of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Individual Investors; Market Efficiency; Performance Persistence;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G - Financial Economics

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