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Do retail investors bite off more than they can chew? A close look at their return objectives

Author

Listed:
  • D’Hondt, Catherine

    (Université catholique de Louvain, LIDAM/LFIN, Belgium)

  • De Winne, Rudy

    (Université catholique de Louvain, LIDAM/LFIN, Belgium)

  • Merli, Maxime

    (Université catholique de Louvain, LIDAM/LFIN, Belgium)

Abstract

Using self-reported retail investor information from a risk-return profile survey, we investigate the determinants of individual return objectives as well as the capacity of investors to achieve them. Controlling for a large set of covariates, we provide empirical evidence that return objectives are related to subjective individual characteristics (such as financial literacy and risk tolerance), some sociodemographic variables (age and education), and recent past trading intensity. Retail investors with higher return objectives perform better than their counterparts who want to avoid any risk of capital loss. The capacity to achieve the return objective, however, decreases as the level of the objective increases.

Suggested Citation

  • D’Hondt, Catherine & De Winne, Rudy & Merli, Maxime, 2021. "Do retail investors bite off more than they can chew? A close look at their return objectives," LIDAM Reprints LFIN 2021015, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain Finance (LFIN).
    • Handle: RePEc:ajf:louvlr:2021015
    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2021.06.009
    Note: In: Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 2021, vol. 188, p. 879-902
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    Cited by:

    1. Niculaescu, Corina E. & Sangiorgi, Ivan & Bell, Adrian R., 2023. "Does personal experience with COVID-19 impact investment decisions? Evidence from a survey of US retail investors," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    2. De Bondt, Werner & De Winne, Rudy & D’Hondt, Catherine, 2024. "Measuring speculation beyond day trading and bets on lottery-like stocks," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PA).
    3. Maxime MERLI & Antoine PARENT, 2022. "Portfolio Diversification During the Belle Époque: When the Actual Portfolios of French Individual Investors Met Behavioral Finance," Working Papers of LaRGE Research Center 2022-01, Laboratoire de Recherche en Gestion et Economie (LaRGE), Université de Strasbourg.
    4. Marie-Hélène BROIHANNE, 2021. "Testing the gender gap in subjective financial literacy of spouses," Working Papers of LaRGE Research Center 2021-08, Laboratoire de Recherche en Gestion et Economie (LaRGE), Université de Strasbourg.
    5. Inghelbrecht, Koen & Tedde, Mariachiara, 2024. "Overconfidence, financial literacy and excessive trading," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 219(C), pages 152-195.

    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G40 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - General

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