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The stock price effects of changes in dispersion of investor beliefs during earnings announcements

Author

Listed:
  • Lynn Rees

    (Texas A&M University)

  • Wayne Thomas

    (University of Oklahoma)

Abstract

Existing research provides competing theories about how dispersion of investor beliefs might affect stock prices. We measure changes in dispersion of investor beliefs around earnings announcements using changes in the dispersion of individual analysts’ forecasts. We find that the 3-day market response to earnings announcements is negatively associated with changes in dispersion, consistent with the cost of capital hypothesis. The results hold after controlling for the current earnings surprise, forecast revisions of future earnings, and reported earnings relative to various earnings thresholds. Our study provides new insight about the information contained in earnings announcements that is incremental to the magnitude and timing of cash flows.

Suggested Citation

  • Lynn Rees & Wayne Thomas, 2010. "The stock price effects of changes in dispersion of investor beliefs during earnings announcements," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 15(1), pages 1-31, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:reaccs:v:15:y:2010:i:1:d:10.1007_s11142-008-9078-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s11142-008-9078-z
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