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Stock returns and future tense language in 10-K reports

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  • Karapandza, Rasa

Abstract

This paper shows that firms talking less about the future in their annual reports generate positive abnormal returns of about 5% annually. I measure how much companies talk about the future in their annual 10-K reports by the frequency of the verbs will, shall, and going to. The evidence favors a risk-based interpretation: firms that use less future tense in their report offer higher returns since they are riskier. These results are consistent with finance theories stating that investors need to be rewarded for holding stocks of firms that put less information about the future in the marketplace.

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  • Karapandza, Rasa, 2016. "Stock returns and future tense language in 10-K reports," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 50-61.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:71:y:2016:i:c:p:50-61
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2016.04.025
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    Cited by:

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    3. C. S. Agnes Cheng & Jaehyeon Kim & Mooweon Rhee & Jian Zhou, 2022. "Time Orientation in Languages and Tax Avoidance," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 180(2), pages 625-650, October.
    4. Wei Huang & Jaehyeon Kim, 2020. "Linguistically Induced Time Perception and Asymmetric Cost Behavior," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 60(5), pages 755-785, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Anomalies; Asset pricing; Text analysis;
    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
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • M48 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • G3 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance

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