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Informed short selling, fails-to-deliver, and abnormal returns

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  • Stratmann, Thomas
  • Welborn, John W.

Abstract

We find that stocks with fails-to-deliver (FTDs) experience negative abnormal returns that are proportional to their FTD levels. These findings come from both an event study and a portfolio returns analysis using Fama-French factors. Using proprietary data on stock borrow costs, we also show that short sellers of low and high FTD stocks obtain positive estimated profits. Our findings support the hypothesis that FTDs reflect nonbinding short sale constraints which do not restrict informed short selling.

Suggested Citation

  • Stratmann, Thomas & Welborn, John W., 2016. "Informed short selling, fails-to-deliver, and abnormal returns," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 38(PA), pages 81-102.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:empfin:v:38:y:2016:i:pa:p:81-102
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jempfin.2016.05.006
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    Cited by:

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    2. Bae, Kyounghun & Kim, Daejin, 2020. "Liquidity risk and exchange-traded fund returns, variances, and tracking errors," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 138(1), pages 222-253.
    3. Daniel Schmidt & Bastian von Beschwitz, 2022. "Passive Ownership and Short Selling," International Finance Discussion Papers 1365, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    4. Blau, Benjamin M. & Cox, Justin S. & Griffith, Todd G. & Voges, Ryan, 2023. "Daily short selling around reverse stock splits," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    5. Daniel Pastorek & Michal Drabek & Peter Albrecht, 2023. "Confirmation of T+35 Failures-To-Deliver Cycles: Evidence from GameStop Corp," Czech Journal of Economics and Finance (Finance a uver), Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, vol. 73(1), pages 56-80, January.
    6. Galema, Rients & Gerritsen, Dirk, 2019. "The effect of the accidental disclosure of confidential short sales positions," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 87-94.
    7. Truong X Duong & Zsuzsa R Huszár & Ruth S K Tan & Weina Zhang, 2017. "The Information Value of Stock Lending Fees: Are Lenders Price Takers?," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 21(6), pages 2353-2377.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Abnormal returns; Fail-to-deliver; Fama-French; Event study; Short selling;
    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
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • K22 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Business and Securities Law

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