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Saints versus Sinners. Does morality matter?

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  • Durand, Robert B.
  • Koh, SzeKee
  • Limkriangkrai, Manapon

Abstract

Social norms constrain investors from investing in “sin stocks”, affecting the returns and corporate financial policies of such firms (Hong and Kacperczyk, 2009). This paper finds that “Saints” are influenced by social norms. In almost all instances, where an effect on “Sinners” is positive (negative), we find that the effect for ‘Saints’ is negative (positive). Hong and Kacperczyk provide evidence that social norms prevent ‘evil’ outcomes. This paper finds that social norms exert positive pressure on both investors and firms in the US equity market.

Suggested Citation

  • Durand, Robert B. & Koh, SzeKee & Limkriangkrai, Manapon, 2013. "Saints versus Sinners. Does morality matter?," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 166-183.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:intfin:v:24:y:2013:i:c:p:166-183
    DOI: 10.1016/j.intfin.2012.12.002
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    Cited by:

    1. Saiful Arefeen & Koji Shimada, 2020. "Performance and Resilience of Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) and Conventional Funds during Different Shocks in 2016: Evidence from Japan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-20, January.
    2. Nelson Areal & Maria Cortez & Florinda Silva, 2013. "The conditional performance of US mutual funds over different market regimes: do different types of ethical screens matter?," Financial Markets and Portfolio Management, Springer;Swiss Society for Financial Market Research, vol. 27(4), pages 397-429, December.
    3. Al Ayoubi, Khalil & Enjolras, Geoffroy, 2022. "Does disinvestment from fossil fuels reduce the financial performance of responsible sovereign wealth funds?," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    4. Alexakis, Christos & Kenourgios, Dimitris & Pappas, Vasileios & Petropoulou, Athina, 2021. "From dotcom to Covid-19: A convergence analysis of Islamic investments," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    5. Liston, Daniel Perez, 2016. "Sin stock returns and investor sentiment," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 63-70.
    6. Cheong, Calvin W.H., 2021. "Risk, resilience, and Shariah-compliance," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    7. Al-Awadhi, Abdullah M. & Dempsey, Michael, 2017. "Social norms and market outcomes: The effects of religious beliefs on stock markets," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 119-134.
    8. José Luis Miralles-Quirós & María Mar Miralles-Quirós, 2020. "Who Knocks on the Door of Portfolio Performance Heaven: Sinner or Saint Investors?," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-18, November.
    9. Koh, SzeKee & Durand, Robert B. & Limkriangkrai, Manapon, 2015. "The value of Saints and the price of Sin," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 35(PA), pages 56-72.
    10. Erragragui, Elias & Hassan, M. Kabir & Peillex, Jonathan & Khan, Abu Nahian Faisal, 2018. "Does ethics improve stock market resilience in times of instability?," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 450-469.
    11. Kabir Hassan, M. & Chiaramonte, Laura & Dreassi, Alberto & Paltrinieri, Andrea & Piserà, Stefano, 2021. "The crossroads of ESG and religious screening on firm risk," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    12. Truzaar Dordi & Olaf Weber, 2019. "The Impact of Divestment Announcements on the Share Price of Fossil Fuel Stocks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-20, June.
    13. Olofsson, Petter & Råholm, Anna & Uddin, Gazi Salah & Troster, Victor & Kang, Sang Hoon, 2021. "Ethical and unethical investments under extreme market conditions," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    14. Hassan, M. Kabir & Chiaramonte, Laura & Dreassi, Alberto & Paltrinieri, Andrea & Piserà, Stefano, 2023. "Equity costs and risks in emerging markets: Are ESG and Sharia principles complementary?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    15. Abdullah Al-Awadhi & Ahmad Bash & Fouad Jamaani, 2021. "Ramadan Effect: A Structural Time-Series Test," International Journal of Financial Research, International Journal of Financial Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 12(1), pages 260-269, January.
    16. Pieter Jan Trinks & Bert Scholtens, 2017. "The Opportunity Cost of Negative Screening in Socially Responsible Investing," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 140(2), pages 193-208, January.
    17. Weisskopf, Jean-Philippe, 2020. "Breaking bad: An investment in cannabis," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 33(C).
    18. Mohd Ashari Bakri & Chia Chia Yong, 2023. "Determinants of Dividend Policies in Shariah Compliant and Non-Shariah Compliant Firms: A Panel Quantile Approach," Capital Markets Review, Malaysian Finance Association, vol. 31(1), pages 47-58.
    19. Alireza Rezaeian & Marie Racine, 2024. "The risk of SIN or socially irresponsible stocks," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 62(2), pages 755-798, February.
    20. Andreas G. F. Hoepner & Lisa Schopohl, 2018. "On the Price of Morals in Markets: An Empirical Study of the Swedish AP-Funds and the Norwegian Government Pension Fund," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(3), pages 665-692, September.
    21. Cheong, Calvin W.H. & Sinnakkannu, Jothee & Ramasamy, Sockalingam, 2017. "Reactive or proactive? Investor sentiment as a driver of corporate social responsibility," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 572-582.
    22. Markus Merz & Jan Riepe, 2021. "SMEs with legally restricted banking access: evidence from the US marijuana industry," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 91(6), pages 797-849, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Asset pricing; Portfolio choice; Socially responsible investing; MSCI KLD400 Social Index;
    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
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • M14 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - Corporate Culture; Diversity; Social Responsibility

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