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What lies behind the asset growth effect?

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  • Abdoh, Hussein
  • Varela, Oscar

Abstract

This study finds that changes in total factor productivity (TFP) serve as one of the drivers behind the asset growth effect. Firms increase (decrease) assets when there is an increase (decrease) in TFP. And increases (decreases) in TFP also cause corresponding increases (decreases) in earnings and returns. Subsequently, changes in TFP reverse, which also reverse earnings and returns, leading to the observed asset growth effect. Our results are robust to sorting using the Fama-French five-factor model and momentum factor, and its asset pricing implications, using low-high spread asset growth portfolios with correspondingly low-high spread TFP changes.

Suggested Citation

  • Abdoh, Hussein & Varela, Oscar, 2021. "What lies behind the asset growth effect?," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:glofin:v:48:y:2021:i:c:s1044028320300168
    DOI: 10.1016/j.gfj.2020.100541
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Asset growth; Stock returns and earnings; Changes in total factor productivity;
    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
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity

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