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Legal Determinants of the Return on Equity

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Author Info
Davide Lombardo () (Stanford University)
Marco Pagano () (CSEF, Università di Salerno, and CEPR)

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Abstract

Recent work documents that better legal institutions are associated with broader equity markets. We investigate whether international differences in legal institutions also help explain the international cross-section of expected stock returns. We document three main regularities. First, total stock market returns are positively correlated with overall measures of the quality of institutions, such as judicial efficiency and rule of law, but have no relationship with measures of shareholder rights, controlling for risk. Second, dividend yields and earning-price ratios also correlate positively with judicial efficiency and rule of law, but negatively with shareholder rights' protection, controlling for risk and expected earnings growth. Thirdly, the excess return on new issues is negatively associated with the quality of accounting standards. We interpret the positive effect of the overall quality of institutions on equity returns as capturing the resulting curtailment of private benefits and increase of profitability, under imperfect international integration of stock markets. The negative impact of shareholders' legal protection and of accounting standards can instead be seen as resulting from the implied reduction in shareholders' auditing and monitoring costs.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy in its series CSEF Working Papers with number 24.

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Date of creation: 01 Oct 1999
Date of revision: 01 Dec 2000
Publication status: Published in Corporate and Institutional Transparency for Economic Growth in Europe, L. Oxelheim ed. Elsevier, 2006
Handle: RePEc:sef:csefwp:24

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Related research
Keywords: law; enforcement; shareholder protection; corporate governance; return on equity;

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by JEL classification:
G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing
K22 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Corporation and Securities Law
K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law

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Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Davide Iacoboni & Alberto Zazzaro, 2000. "Legal system efficiency, information production, and technological choice: a banking model," Heterogeneity and monetary policy 0005, Universita di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Dipartimento di Economia Politica. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Luca Anderlini & Leonardo Felli & Alessandro Riboni, 2008. "Statute Law or Case Law?," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Erik Berglof & Ernst-Ludwig von Thadden, 1999. "The Changing Corporate Governance Paradigm: Implications for Transition and Developing Countries," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 263, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross Business School. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Law, Siong Hook & Azman-Saini, W.N.W., 2008. "The Quality of Institutions and Financial Development," MPRA Paper 12107, University Library of Munich, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  5. Darius P. Miller & John J. Puthenpurackal, 2001. "The Costs, Wealth Effects, and Determinants of International Capital Raising: Evidence from Public Yankee Bonds," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 445, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross Business School. [Downloadable!]
  6. Forssbæck , Jens & Oxelheim, Lars, 2008. "Financial Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment," Working Paper Series 741, Research Institute of Industrial Economics. [Downloadable!]
  7. Davide Lombardo & Marco Pagano, 1999. "Law and Equity Markets: a Simple Model," CSEF Working Papers 25, Centre for Studies in Economics and Finance (CSEF), University of Naples, Italy. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  8. Dennis Mueller, 2006. "Corporate Governance and Economic Performance," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 20(5), pages 623-643, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Mariassunta Giannetti, 2000. "Do Better Institutions Mitigate Agency Problems? Evidence from Corporate Finance Choices," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 376, Bank of Italy, Economic Research Department. [Downloadable!]
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  10. Andreas Billmeier & Isabella Massa, 2007. "What Drives Stock Market Development in the Middle East and Central Asia--Institutions, Remittances, or Natural Resources?," IMF Working Papers 07/157, International Monetary Fund. [Downloadable!]
  11. Michael R. King & Dan Segal, 2003. "Valuation of Canadian- vs. U.S.-Listed Equity: Is There a Discount?," Working Papers 03-6, Bank of Canada. [Downloadable!]
  12. Bernardo Bortolotti & Marcella Fantini & Carlo Scarpa, 2000. "Why Do Governments Sell Privatised Companies Abroad?," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series 293, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan Stephen M. Ross Business School. [Downloadable!]
  13. Nenova, Tatiana, 2006. "Takeover laws and financial development," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4029, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
  14. Kai Li, 2004. "The Growth of Global Equity Markets: A Closer Look," Econometric Society 2004 North American Winter Meetings 54, Econometric Society. [Downloadable!]
  15. Klapper, Leora F. & Love, Inessa, 2002. "Corporate governance, investor protection, and performance in emerging markets," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2818, The World Bank. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
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