Predictable Corporate Distributions and Stock Returns

Review of Financial Studies, Forthcoming

67 Pages Posted: 1 Jul 2013 Last revised: 25 Nov 2014

See all articles by Hendrik Bessembinder

Hendrik Bessembinder

W.P. Carey School of Business

Feng Zhang

Southern Methodist University (SMU) - Finance Department

Date Written: November 24, 2014

Abstract

Corporate managers frequently announce corporate distributions, including stock splits, stock dividends, special dividends, and increases in regular dividends, on the anniversary of a like announcement at the same firm. The market appears to not fully appreciate the implications of current distributions for future distributions and stock returns, as a simple strategy that involves purchasing firms with high predicted probabilities of distribution announcements earns significant abnormal monthly returns. These results are distinct from previously documented return regularities related to regular earnings and dividend announcements and return seasonality.

Keywords: stock dividends, stock splits, special dividends, dividend increases, predictability, return anomaly

JEL Classification: G14, G35

Suggested Citation

Bessembinder, Hendrik (Hank) and Zhang, Feng, Predictable Corporate Distributions and Stock Returns (November 24, 2014). Review of Financial Studies, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2287642 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2287642

Hendrik (Hank) Bessembinder (Contact Author)

W.P. Carey School of Business ( email )

W. P. Carey School of Business
PO Box 873906
Tempe, AZ 85287-3906
United States

HOME PAGE: http://isearch.asu.edu/profile/2717225

Feng Zhang

Southern Methodist University (SMU) - Finance Department ( email )

SMU Cox School of Business
6212 Bishop Blvd
Dallas, TX 75275
United States

HOME PAGE: http://https://sites.google.com/view/fengzhangfin

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