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Does systematic distress risk drive the investment growth anomaly?

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  • Su, Xuan-Qi

Abstract

Expanding on rational Q theory, this study demonstrates that less exposure to systematic distress risk partially explains the phenomenon of investment growth anomalies, wherein equities of firms with greater growth in capital investment display lower stock returns. Using the default yield spread between BAA- and AAA-rated corporate bonds as a proxy for a systematic distress risk factor driving the pricing kernel, I show that firms with high (low) capital investment have lower (higher) exposure to systematic distress risk and thus lower (higher) expected returns. Depending on model settings, the factor used here to measure systematic distress risk explains 30–40% of the investment growth effect. Overall, I conservatively conclude that a moderate part of investment growth anomaly can be viewed as compensation for systematic distress risk, even though many studies explain it as a result of behavioral mispricing.

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  • Su, Xuan-Qi, 2016. "Does systematic distress risk drive the investment growth anomaly?," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 240-248.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:quaeco:v:61:y:2016:i:c:p:240-248
    DOI: 10.1016/j.qref.2016.02.011
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    1. Ahsan Habib & Mabel D' Costa & Hedy Jiaying Huang & Md. Borhan Uddin Bhuiyan & Li Sun, 2020. "Determinants and consequences of financial distress: review of the empirical literature," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(S1), pages 1023-1075, April.
    2. ElBannan, Mona A., 2021. "On the prediction of financial distress in emerging markets: What matters more? Empirical evidence from Arab spring countries," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 47(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Capital investment; Investment growth anomaly; Systematic distress risk; Default yield spread;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill

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