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Casting Conference Calls

Author

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  • Lauren Cohen

    (Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts 02163; National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138;)

  • Dong Lou

    (London School of Economics and Centre for Economic Policy Research, London WC2A 2AE, United Kingdom)

  • Christopher J. Malloy

    (Harvard Business School, Boston, Massachusetts 02163; National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138;)

Abstract

We explore a subtle but important mechanism through which firms can control information flow to the markets. We find that firms that “cast” their conference calls by disproportionately calling on bullish analysts tend to underperform in the future. Firms that call on more favorable analysts experience more negative future earnings surprises and more future earnings restatements. A long–short portfolio that exploits this differential firm behavior earns abnormal returns of up to 149 basis points per month or almost 18% per year. We find similar evidence in an international sample of earnings call transcripts from the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Japan. Firms with higher discretionary accruals, firms that barely meet/exceed earnings expectations, and firms (and their executives) that are about to issue equity, sell shares, and exercise options are all significantly more likely to cast their earnings calls.

Suggested Citation

  • Lauren Cohen & Dong Lou & Christopher J. Malloy, 2020. "Casting Conference Calls," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 66(11), pages 5015-5039, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:66:y:2020:i:11:p:5015-5039
    DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.2019.3423
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Shen, Lingbo, 2022. "Essays on behavioral finance and corporate finance," Other publications TiSEM a9b98a25-a208-4ba6-9344-9, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    3. Ian D. Gow & David F. Larcker & Anastasia A. Zakolyukina, 2021. "Non‐Answers During Conference Calls," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(4), pages 1349-1384, September.
    4. Wu, Di & Gao, Shenghao & Chan, Kam C. & Cheng, Xiaoke, 2022. "Do firms strategically respond to retail investors on the online interactive information disclosure platform?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PA).
    5. Barth, Andreas & Laturnus, Valerie & Mansouri, Sasan & Wagner, Alexander, 2021. "ICO analysts," VfS Annual Conference 2021 (Virtual Conference): Climate Economics 242429, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    6. Noh, Joonki & Zhou, Dexin, 2022. "Executives’ Blaming external factors and market reactions: Evidence from earnings conference calls," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    7. Kate Suslava, 2021. "“Stiff Business Headwinds and Uncharted Economic Waters”: The Use of Euphemisms in Earnings Conference Calls," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(11), pages 7184-7213, November.
    8. Chang, Danting & Li, Feng, 2023. "Uncovering the information content in abnormal institutional visits," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PB).
    9. Tim Martens & Christoph J. Sextroh, 2021. "Analyst Coverage Overlaps and Interfirm Information Spillovers," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(4), pages 1425-1480, September.
    10. Justin Birru & Sinan Gokkaya & Xi Liu & René M. Stulz, 2022. "Are Analyst Short‐Term Trade Ideas Valuable?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 77(3), pages 1829-1875, June.
    11. Allee, Kristian D. & Do, Chuong & Sterin, Mikhail, 2021. "Product market competition, disclosure framing, and casting in earnings conference calls," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(1).
    12. Hope, Ole-Kristian & Huang, Zhongwei & Moldovan, Rucsandra, 2021. "Wall Street analysts as investor relations officers," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).

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