IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/riibaf/v69y2024ics027553192400045x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Analyst optimism and market sentiment: Evidence from European corporate sustainability reporters

Author

Listed:
  • del Río, Cristina
  • Ferrer, Elena
  • López-Arceiz, Francisco J.

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of investor sentiment on analysts’ optimism bias for a set of European companies with high-quality non-financial information reporting. The contents of the reports should make stock recommendations for such firms that are less prone to sentiment-driven optimism bias; our observations show this to be the case. For further insight, we analysed the informative value of stock recommendations in high- and low-sentiment periods, taking sustainability reporting quality into account. We find that buy recommendations for high-sustainability stocks have no informational value when sentiment is high, whereas informative recommendations in the form of sell recommendations for low-sustainability stocks appear when sentiment is high.

Suggested Citation

  • del Río, Cristina & Ferrer, Elena & López-Arceiz, Francisco J., 2024. "Analyst optimism and market sentiment: Evidence from European corporate sustainability reporters," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:69:y:2024:i:c:s027553192400045x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ribaf.2024.102253
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027553192400045X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ribaf.2024.102253?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. John A. Doukas & Nikolaos T. Milonas, 2004. "Investor Sentiment and the Closed‐end Fund Puzzle: Out‐of‐sample Evidence," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 10(2), pages 235-266, June.
    2. Antoniou, Constantinos & Doukas, John A. & Subrahmanyam, Avanidhar, 2013. "Cognitive Dissonance, Sentiment, and Momentum," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 48(1), pages 245-275, February.
    3. Malcolm Baker & Jeffrey Wurgler, 2006. "Investor Sentiment and the Cross‐Section of Stock Returns," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(4), pages 1645-1680, August.
    4. Susanne Arvidsson & Jeaneth Johansson, 2019. "Sense-Making and Sense-Giving: Reaching Through the Smokescreen of Sustainability Disclosure in the Stock Market," Springer Books, in: Susanne Arvidsson (ed.), Challenges in Managing Sustainable Business, pages 77-109, Springer.
    5. Fayrouz Souissi & Yousra Trichilli & Mouna Boujelbène-Abbes, 2020. "Googling investor's sentiment, financial stress and dynamics of European market indexes: a Markov chain analysis," International Journal of Bonds and Derivatives, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 4(2), pages 152-178.
    6. Alexander Ljungqvist & Felicia Marston & William J. Wilhelm, 2006. "Competing for Securities Underwriting Mandates: Banking Relationships and Analyst Recommendations," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(1), pages 301-340, February.
    7. Guofu Zhou, 2018. "Measuring Investor Sentiment," Annual Review of Financial Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 10(1), pages 239-259, November.
    8. Marina Balboa & J. Carlos Gómez‐Sala & Germán López‐Espinosa, 2009. "The Value of Adjusting the Bias in Recommendations: International Evidence," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 15(1), pages 208-230, January.
    9. Valentina-Ioana Mera & Monica Ioana Pop Silaghi & Camélia Turcu, 2020. "Economic Sentiments and Money Demand Stability in the CEECs," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 343-369, April.
    10. Apergis, Nicholas, 2022. "Overconfidence and US stock market returns," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).
    11. Barberis, Nicholas & Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert, 1998. "A model of investor sentiment," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 307-343, September.
    12. Gao, Zhenyu & Ren, Haohan & Zhang, Bohui, 2020. "Googling Investor Sentiment around the World," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 55(2), pages 549-580, March.
    13. Renard Y. J. Siew & Maria C. A. Balatbat & David G. Carmichael, 2016. "The impact of ESG disclosures and institutional ownership on market information asymmetry," Asia-Pacific Journal of Accounting & Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(4), pages 432-448, October.
    14. Maria-Gaia Soana, 2011. "The Relationship Between Corporate Social Performance and Corporate Financial Performance in the Banking Sector," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 104(1), pages 133-148, November.
    15. Balboa, Marina & Gomez-Sala, Juan Carlos & Lopez-Espinosa, German, 2008. "Does the value of recommendations depend on the level of optimism? A country-based analysis," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 405-426, October.
    16. Roger K. Loh & René M. Stulz, 2011. "When Are Analyst Recommendation Changes Influential?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 24(2), pages 593-627.
    17. Fama, Eugene F. & French, Kenneth R., 2015. "A five-factor asset pricing model," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(1), pages 1-22.
    18. Frazzini, Andrea & Lamont, Owen A., 2008. "Dumb money: Mutual fund flows and the cross-section of stock returns," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(2), pages 299-322, May.
    19. Ahmed, Bouteska, 2020. "Understanding the impact of investor sentiment on the price formation process: A review of the conduct of American stock markets," The Journal of Economic Asymmetries, Elsevier, vol. 22(C).
    20. Enrique Moral-Benito & Paul Allison & Richard Williams, 2019. "Dynamic panel data modelling using maximum likelihood: an alternative to Arellano-Bond," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(20), pages 2221-2232, April.
    21. Baker, Malcolm & Stein, Jeremy C., 2004. "Market liquidity as a sentiment indicator," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 7(3), pages 271-299, June.
    22. Huynh, Nhan, 2023. "Unemployment beta and the cross-section of stock returns: Evidence from Australia," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    23. Gric, Zuzana & Bajzík, Josef & Badura, Ondřej, 2023. "Does sentiment affect stock returns? A meta-analysis across survey-based measures," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    24. Taufiq Choudhry & Gishan Dissanaike & Ranadeva Jayasekera & Woo-Young Kang & Matthias Nnadi, 2021. "Loss sensitive investors and positively biased analysts in Hong Kong stock market," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 57(4), pages 1345-1371, November.
    25. Grace Il Joo Kang & Kyongsun Heo & Sungmin Jeon, 2024. "A comparison of analysts’ and investors’ information efficiency of corporate social responsibility activities," Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 15(2), pages 547-572, January.
    26. Fama, Eugene F. & French, Kenneth R., 1993. "Common risk factors in the returns on stocks and bonds," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 3-56, February.
    27. Johannes M. Lehner & David McMillan, 2015. "Making sense in asset markets: Strategies for Implicit Organizations," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 3(1), pages 1024022-102, December.
    28. Changhee Lee & Dan Palmon & Ari Yezegel, 2018. "The Corporate Social Responsibility Information Environment: Examining the Value of Financial Analysts’ Recommendations," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(1), pages 279-301, June.
    29. Schmeling, Maik, 2009. "Investor sentiment and stock returns: Some international evidence," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 394-408, June.
    30. Akrum Helfaya & Mark Whittington, 2019. "Does designing environmental sustainability disclosure quality measures make a difference?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(4), pages 525-541, May.
    31. Francis, J, 1997. "Discussion of self-selection and analyst coverage," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35, pages 201-208.
    32. Brown, Gregory W. & Cliff, Michael T., 2004. "Investor sentiment and the near-term stock market," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 11(1), pages 1-27, January.
    33. Thabang Mokoaleli‐Mokoteli & Richard J. Taffler & Vineet Agarwal, 2009. "Behavioural Bias and Conflicts of Interest in Analyst Stock Recommendations," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(3‐4), pages 384-418, April.
    34. Corredor, Pilar & Ferrer, Elena & Santamaria, Rafael, 2014. "Is cognitive bias really present in analyst forecasts? The role of investor sentiment," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 824-837.
    35. Marcel C. Minutolo & Werner D. Kristjanpoller & John Stakeley, 2019. "Exploring environmental, social, and governance disclosure effects on the S&P 500 financial performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(6), pages 1083-1095, September.
    36. Thankom Arun & Claudia Girardone & Stefano PiserÃ, 2022. "ESG issues in emerging markets and the role of banks," Chapters, in: Duc K. Nguyen (ed.), Handbook of Banking and Finance in Emerging Markets, chapter 17, pages 321-344, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    37. Donal Byard & Fatma Cebenoyan, 2007. "Alternative evidence on financial analysts' use of financial statement information," Review of Accounting and Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 6(4), pages 442-459, November.
    38. Bindu Arya & Gaiyan Zhang, 2009. "Institutional Reforms and Investor Reactions to CSR Announcements: Evidence from an Emerging Economy," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(7), pages 1089-1112, November.
    39. Jegadeesh, Narasimhan & Kim, Woojin, 2006. "Value of analyst recommendations: International evidence," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 9(3), pages 274-309, August.
    40. Francisco J. López‐Arceiz & Cristina Del Río & Ana J. Bellostas, 2020. "Sustainability performance indicators: Definition, interaction, and influence of contextual characteristics," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(6), pages 2615-2630, November.
    41. Chiang, Shu Ling & Tsai, Ming Shann, 2023. "Analyses for the effects of investor sentiment on the price adjustment behaviors for stock market and REIT market," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 425-439.
    42. Mandas, Marco & Lahmar, Oumaima & Piras, Luca & De Lisa, Riccardo, 2023. "ESG in the financial industry: What matters for rating analysts?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    43. Ahmed Saleh & Clare Roberts, 2017. "The Impact of Online Corporate Reporting Quality on Analyst Following and Properties of Their EPS Forecasts," Journal of Accounting and Management Information Systems, Faculty of Accounting and Management Information Systems, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, vol. 16(1), pages 59-88, March.
    44. Kin-Wai Lee & Gillian Hian-Heng Yeo, 2016. "The association between integrated reporting and firm valuation," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 47(4), pages 1221-1250, November.
    45. Jannik Gerwanski & Othar Kordsachia & Patrick Velte, 2019. "Determinants of materiality disclosure quality in integrated reporting: Empirical evidence from an international setting," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(5), pages 750-770, July.
    46. Shan Zhou & Roger Simnett & Wendy Green, 2017. "Does Integrated Reporting Matter to the Capital Market?," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 53(1), pages 94-132, March.
    47. Kim, Karam & Ryu, Doojin & Yu, Jinyoung, 2021. "Do sentiment trades explain investor overconfidence around analyst recommendation revisions?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    48. Lee, Charles M C & Shleifer, Andrei & Thaler, Richard H, 1991. "Investor Sentiment and the Closed-End Fund Puzzle," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 46(1), pages 75-109, March.
    49. David Hirshleifer, 2001. "Investor Psychology and Asset Pricing," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 56(4), pages 1533-1597, August.
    50. P. Corredor & E. Ferrer & R. Santamaria, 2015. "The Impact of Investor Sentiment on Stock Returns in Emerging Markets: The Case of Central European Markets," Eastern European Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(4), pages 328-355, July.
    51. N. Rowbottom & A. Lymer, 2009. "Exploring the use of online corporate sustainability information," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(2), pages 176-186, June.
    52. repec:bla:jfinan:v:59:y:2004:i:3:p:1125-1165 is not listed on IDEAS
    53. Jhunru Zhang & Hadrian Geri Djajadikerta & Terri Trireksani, 2019. "Corporate sustainability disclosure’s importance in China: financial analysts’ perception," Social Responsibility Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 16(8), pages 1169-1189, August.
    54. Baker, Malcolm & Wurgler, Jeffrey & Yuan, Yu, 2012. "Global, local, and contagious investor sentiment," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(2), pages 272-287.
    55. Rowbottom, N. & Lymer, A., 2009. "Exploring the use of online corporate sustainability information," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 176-186.
    56. Subhash Abhayawansa & Evangeline Elijido‐Ten & John Dumay, 2019. "A practice theoretical analysis of the irrelevance of integrated reporting to mainstream sell‐side analysts," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 59(3), pages 1615-1647, September.
    57. Amir Barnea & Amir Rubin, 2010. "Corporate Social Responsibility as a Conflict Between Shareholders," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 97(1), pages 71-86, November.
    58. del Río, Cristina & López-Arceiz, Francisco J. & Muga, Luis, 2023. "Do sustainability disclosure mechanisms reduce market myopia? Evidence from European sustainability companies," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    59. Manuel Arellano & Stephen Bond, 1991. "Some Tests of Specification for Panel Data: Monte Carlo Evidence and an Application to Employment Equations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 58(2), pages 277-297.
    60. Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah & Maqsood Ahmad & Faisal Mahmood, 2018. "Heuristic biases in investment decision-making and perceived market efficiency," Qualitative Research in Financial Markets, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 10(1), pages 85-110, February.
    61. Natividad Blasco & Pilar Corredor & Elena Ferrer, 2018. "Analysts herding: when does sentiment matter?," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(51), pages 5495-5509, November.
    62. Corredor, Pilar & Ferrer, Elena & Santamaria, Rafael, 2019. "The role of sentiment and stock characteristics in the translation of analysts’ forecasts into recommendations," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 252-272.
    63. Elena Ferrer & Francisco J. López‐Arceiz & Cristina del Rio, 2020. "Sustainability disclosure and financial analysts' accuracy: The European case," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 2939-2952, December.
    64. Bolognesi, Enrica & Burchi, Alberto, 2023. "The impact of the ESG disclosure on sell-side analysts’ target prices: The new era post Paris agreements," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    65. Eduardo Flores & Marco Fasan & Wesley Mendes‐da‐Silva & Joelson Oliveira Sampaio, 2019. "Integrated reporting and capital markets in an international setting: The role of financial analysts," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(7), pages 1465-1480, November.
    66. Michael Lemmon & Evgenia Portniaguina, 2006. "Consumer Confidence and Asset Prices: Some Empirical Evidence," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 19(4), pages 1499-1529.
    67. Chiang, Ming-Ti & Lin, Mei-Chen, 2019. "Market sentiment and herding in analysts’ stock recommendations," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 48-64.
    68. Thabang Mokoaleli-Mokoteli & Richard J. Taffler & Vineet Agarwal, 2009. "Behavioural Bias and Conflicts of Interest in Analyst Stock Recommendations," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(3-4), pages 384-418.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Corredor, Pilar & Ferrer, Elena & Santamaria, Rafael, 2019. "The role of sentiment and stock characteristics in the translation of analysts’ forecasts into recommendations," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 252-272.
    2. Corredor, Pilar & Ferrer, Elena & Santamaria, Rafael, 2014. "Is cognitive bias really present in analyst forecasts? The role of investor sentiment," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 824-837.
    3. Elena Ferrer & Francisco J. López‐Arceiz & Cristina del Rio, 2020. "Sustainability disclosure and financial analysts' accuracy: The European case," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 2939-2952, December.
    4. Han, Xing & Li, Youwei, 2017. "Can investor sentiment be a momentum time-series predictor? Evidence from China," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 212-239.
    5. Corredor, Pilar & Ferrer, Elena & Santamaria, Rafael, 2013. "Investor sentiment effect in stock markets: Stock characteristics or country-specific factors?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 572-591.
    6. Wenjie Ding & Khelifa Mazouz & Qingwei Wang, 2019. "Investor sentiment and the cross-section of stock returns: new theory and evidence," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 53(2), pages 493-525, August.
    7. Rakovská, Zuzana, 2021. "Composite survey sentiment as a predictor of future market returns: Evidence for German equity indices," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 473-495.
    8. Seok, Sang Ik & Cho, Hoon & Ryu, Doojin, 2019. "Firm-specific investor sentiment and daily stock returns," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    9. Finter, Philipp & Niessen-Ruenzi, Alexandra & Ruenzi, Stefan, 2010. "The impact of investor sentiment on the German stock market," CFR Working Papers 10-03, University of Cologne, Centre for Financial Research (CFR).
    10. Mehwish Aziz Khan & Eatzaz Ahmad, 2018. "Measurement of Investor Sentiment and Its Bi-Directional Contemporaneous and Lead–Lag Relationship with Returns: Evidence from Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-20, December.
    11. Seok, Sangik & Cho, Hoon & Ryu, Doojin, 2024. "Dual effects of investor sentiment and uncertainty in financial markets," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 300-315.
    12. Pedro Manuel Nogueira Reis & Carlos Pinho, 2021. "A Reappraisal of the Causal Relationship between Sentiment Proxies and Stock Returns," Journal of Behavioral Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(4), pages 420-442, October.
    13. Zuzana Gric & Josef Bajzik & Ondrej Badura, 2021. "Does Sentiment Affect Stock Returns? A Meta-analysis Across Survey-based Measures," Working Papers 2021/10, Czech National Bank.
    14. Hou, Yang & Meng, Jiayin, 2018. "The momentum effect in the Chinese market and its relationship with the simultaneous and the lagged investor sentiment," MPRA Paper 94838, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Aissia, Dorsaf Ben, 2016. "Home and foreign investor sentiment and the stock returns," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 71-77.
    16. Nizar Raissi & Sahbi Missaoui, 2015. "Role of investor sentiment in financial markets: an explanation by behavioural finance approach," International Journal of Accounting and Finance, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 5(4), pages 362-401.
    17. Gric, Zuzana & Bajzík, Josef & Badura, Ondřej, 2023. "Does sentiment affect stock returns? A meta-analysis across survey-based measures," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    18. David C. Ling & Andy Naranjo & Benjamin Scheick, 2014. "Investor Sentiment, Limits to Arbitrage and Private Market Returns," Real Estate Economics, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, vol. 42(3), pages 531-577, September.
    19. Ahmed Salhin & Mo Sherif & Edward Jones, 2016. "Investor Sentiment and Sector Returns," CFI Discussion Papers 1602, Centre for Finance and Investment, Heriot Watt University.
    20. Malcolm Baker & Jeffrey Wurgler, 2007. "Investor Sentiment in the Stock Market," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 21(2), pages 129-152, Spring.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Financial analysts; Optimism bias; Investor sentiment; Sustainability;
    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

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:69:y:2024:i:c:s027553192400045x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ribaf .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.