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Characteristic-Based Benchmark Returns and Corporate Events

Author

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  • Hendrik Bessembinder
  • Michael J Cooper
  • Feng Zhang

Abstract

We propose that fitted values from market-wide regressions of firm returns on lagged firm characteristics provide useful benchmarks for assessing whether average returns to certain stocks are abnormal. To illustrate, we study eight documented events with abnormal returns, including credit rating and analyst recommendation downgrades, initial and seasoned public equity offerings, mergers and acquisitions, dividend initiations, share repurchases, and stock splits. We show that the apparently abnormal returns in the months after these events are substantially reduced or eliminated when compared to characteristic-based benchmarks. Characteristic-based benchmarks perform better in explaining post-event returns than do recent four- and five-factor models. Received September 19, 2016; editorial decision February 16, 2018 by Editor Andrew Karolyi. Authors have furnished an Internet Appendix, which is available on the Oxford University Press Web Site next to the link to the final published paper online.

Suggested Citation

  • Hendrik Bessembinder & Michael J Cooper & Feng Zhang, 2019. "Characteristic-Based Benchmark Returns and Corporate Events," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 32(1), pages 75-125.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:rfinst:v:32:y:2019:i:1:p:75-125.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/rfs/hhy037
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    Cited by:

    1. Maurice McCourt, 2022. "Permanent private equity: Market performance and transactions," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 45(2), pages 339-383, June.
    2. Kumar, Rajnish & Lawrence, Edward R. & Prakash, Arun & Rodríguez, Iván M., 2023. "Additions to and deletions from the S&P 500 index: A resolution to the asymmetric price response puzzle," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    3. Huang, Ying Sophie & Guo, Feng & Ma, Lina, 2023. "Do M&A funds create value in Chinese listed firms?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    4. Kolari, James W. & Pynnonen, Seppo & Tuncez, Ahmet M., 2021. "Further evidence on long-run abnormal returns after corporate events," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 421-439.
    5. Harvey, Campbell R. & Liu, Yan, 2021. "Lucky factors," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(2), pages 413-435.
    6. Wang, Jiazhen & Hu, Xiaolu & Zhong, Angel, 2023. "Stock market reaction to mandatory ESG disclosure," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    7. Borup, Daniel, 2019. "Asset pricing model uncertainty," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 166-189.
    8. John M. Griffin & Clark Liu & Tao Shu, 2022. "Is the Chinese Anticorruption Campaign Authentic? Evidence from Corporate Investigations," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(10), pages 7248-7273, October.
    9. HaiYue Liu & ShiYi Liu & JiaTian Li & Peng Wu, 2021. "An empirical study of Chinese listed firms’ herd behaviour in cross‐border mergers and acquisitions," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(5), pages 6295-6331, December.
    10. Liu, Tingting & Lu, Zhongjin (Gene) & Shu, Tao & Wei, Fengrong, 2022. "Unique bidder-target relatedness and synergies creation in mergers and acquisitions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    11. Liu, Xia (Summer) & Megginson, William L. & Xia, Junjie, 2022. "Industrial policy and asset prices: Evidence from the Made in China 2025 policy," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    12. Erl, Ludwig & Kiesel, Florian & Koenigsmarck, Markus & Schiereck, Dirk, 2023. "Performance effects of sell-offs and the role of sell-off experience," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 244-257.

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