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Unintended Effects of Preannouncements on Investor Reactions to Earnings News

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  • Jeffrey S. Miller

Abstract

This study uses an experiment to examine three alternative theoretical explanations for the unintended effects of preannouncements on investor reactions to earnings news. The theoretical explanations are cue consistency, recency effects, and diminishing marginal reactions. The experiment varies the amount of a management preannouncement at five different levels while holding constant consensus analyst expectations prior to the preannouncement and the subsequent earnings announcement. Participants provide preliminary forecasts of current†and next†period earnings per share (EPS) prior to the preannouncement, after the preannouncement, and after the earnings announcement. The pattern of participants' final next†year EPS forecasts and the results of follow†up analyses appear most consistent with the predictions of diminishing marginal reactions and, to a somewhat lesser extent, cue consistency, suggesting that both mechanisms play a role in determining the effects of preannouncements. There is little evidence supporting recency effects. Finally, supplemental evidence indicates that participants are unaware that preannouncements influence their reactions to earnings news, suggesting that the effects are unintended. This study has implications for managers who make preannouncement disclosure decisions and for academics who wish to understand and interpret prior research on earnings preannouncements.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeffrey S. Miller, 2006. "Unintended Effects of Preannouncements on Investor Reactions to Earnings News," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(4), pages 1073-1103, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:coacre:v:23:y:2006:i:4:p:1073-1103
    DOI: 10.1506/NX14-108L-581W-1Q00
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Han, Jun, 2013. "A literature synthesis of experimental studies on management earnings guidance," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 49-70.
    2. Ye Chen & Naiding Yang, 2023. "The effect of corporate donation motive attribution on investors' judgments of future earnings prospects: The moderating role of individual moral orientation," Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(2), pages 435-453, April.
    3. Guojin Gong & Hong Qu & Ian Tarrant, 2021. "Earnings Forecasts and Price Efficiency after Earnings Realizations: Reduction in Information Asymmetry through Learning from Price," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 38(1), pages 654-675, March.
    4. Jeffrey Miller, 2009. "Opportunistic Disclosures of Earnings Forecasts and Non-GAAP Earnings Measures," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 89(1), pages 3-10, May.
    5. Youngdeok Lim & Hyung Il Oh, 2022. "Do Firms Learn from Pre‐announcement Experience? Evidence from Optimistic Pre‐announcements and Market Responses," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 58(2), pages 365-392, June.
    6. Martin, Rachel, 2019. "Examination and implications of experimental research on investor perceptions," Journal of Accounting Literature, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 145-169.
    7. Johnson, Peter M. & Jurney, Susan & Rodgers, Theodore C., 2015. "How does the market process sequential earnings information?," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 55-67.
    8. Cox, Raymond A.K. & Dayanandan, Ajit & Donker, Han, 2016. "The Ricochet Effect of Bad News," The International Journal of Accounting, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 385-401.

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