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Context, not predictions: a field study of financial analysts

Author

Listed:
  • Shahed Imam
  • Crawford Spence

Abstract

Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the nature of the work that financial analysts actually do in the context of the market for information and to further open up research in this area to qualitative and sociological inquiry. Design/methodology/approach - – A field study with 49 financial analysts (both buy-side and sell-side) was undertaken in order to understand the work that they actually do. This field study was theoretically informed by the sociology of Pierre Bourdieu. Findings - – The authors find, in contrast to both conventional wisdom and assumptions in prior (mostly quantitative) literature, that the primary value of sell-side analyst work lies not in the recommendations that analysts ultimately produce, but in the rich contextual information that they provide to buy-side analysts. In order to successfully provide this information, analysts have to embody large amounts of technical capital into their habitus. Research limitations/implications - – Much research in this area erroneously presumes that forecasting is the primary function of analysts. Analyst work needs to be understood as multifarious and requiring a well-developed habitus that is attuned to the accumulation of both technical and social capital. Future qualitative research might usefully explore in more detail the way in which corporate managers interact with analysts. The present study solicits the viewpoints only of the analysts themselves. The organisational context of the analysts was not explored in detail and the interviews were pre-crisis, which possibly explains why the technical capital of sell-side analysts was extolled by interviewees rather than lambasted. Originality/value - – The paper is one of few studies to look at analysts from a qualitative and sociological perspective. It both complements and extends both emerging sociological work on financial intermediaries and qualitative work on the “market for information”.

Suggested Citation

  • Shahed Imam & Crawford Spence, 2016. "Context, not predictions: a field study of financial analysts," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 29(2), pages 226-247, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:aaajpp:v:29:y:2016:i:2:p:226-247
    DOI: 10.1108/AAAJ-02-2014-1606
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Andersson, Patric & Hellman, Niclas, 2020. "Analysts’ evaluations of acquisitions: Swedish survey evidence on IFRS knowledge and the use of accounting information for valuation purposes," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    2. Charl de Villiers & Matteo La Torre & Vida Botes, 2022. "Accounting and social capital: A review and reflections on future research opportunities," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(4), pages 4485-4521, December.
    3. Bäumer, Marcus, 2020. "What matters to investment professionals in decision making? The role of soft factors in stock selection," EIKV-Schriftenreihe zum Wissens- und Wertemanagement, European Institute for Knowledge & Value Management (EIKV), Luxembourg, volume 44, number 44.
    4. Sidney J. Gray & Niclas Hellman & Mariya N. Ivanova, 2019. "Extractive Industries Reporting: A Review of Accounting Challenges and the Research Literature," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 55(1), pages 42-91, March.
    5. Lee, Kenneth & Manochin, Melina, 2021. "Sell-side equity analysts and equity sales: a study of interaction," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 108953, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. Graaf, Johan & Johed, Gustav, 2020. "“Reverse brokering” and the consumption of accounting: A broker desk ethnography of an investment case," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    7. Lee, Kenneth & Manochin, Melina, 2021. "Sell-side equity analysts and equity sales: A study of interaction," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 53(5).
    8. Allee, Kristian D. & Do, Chuong & Sterin, Mikhail, 2021. "Product market competition, disclosure framing, and casting in earnings conference calls," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(1).
    9. Chen, Lei & Danbolt, Jo & Holland, John, 2018. "Information about bank intangibles, analyst information intermediation, and the role of knowledge and social forces in the ‘market for information’," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 261-276.
    10. Stolowy, Hervé & Paugam, Luc & Gendron, Yves, 2022. "Competing for narrative authority in capital markets: Activist short sellers vs. financial analysts," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    11. Durocher, Sylvain & Georgiou, Omiros, 2022. "Framing accounting for goodwill: Intractable controversies between users and standard setters," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    12. Machado, André & Lima, Fabiano Guasti, 2021. "Sell-side analyst reports and decision-maker reactions: Role of heuristics," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(C).
    13. Ahblom, Per & Sjögren, Ebba, 2019. "Delivering performance: the capital market framing of financial numbers from a preparer perspective," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 102819, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    14. Hanna Maria Sievinen & Tuuli Ikäheimonen & Timo Pihkala, 2022. "The role of dyadic interactions between CEOs, chairs and owners in family firm governance," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 26(1), pages 223-253, March.

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