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The Accrual Anomaly: Risk or Mispricing?

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  • Hou, Kewei
  • Hirshleifer, David
  • Teoh, Siew Hong

Abstract

We document considerable return comovement associated with accruals after controlling for other common factors. An accrual-based factor-mimicking portfolio has a Sharpe ratio of 0.16, higher than that of the market factor or the SMB and HML factors of Fama and French (1993). In time series regressions, a model that includes the Fama-French factors and the additional accrual factor captures the accrual anomaly in average returns. However, further time series and cross-sectional tests indicate that it is the accrual characteristic rather than the accrual factor loading that predicts returns. These findings favor a behavioral explanation for the accrual anomaly.

Suggested Citation

  • Hou, Kewei & Hirshleifer, David & Teoh, Siew Hong, 2007. "The Accrual Anomaly: Risk or Mispricing?," MPRA Paper 5173, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:5173
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Capital markets; accruals; market efficiency; behavioral finance; limited attention;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting
    • 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
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions

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