The Formation Process of Winners and Losers in Momentum Investing

Abstract

Previous studies have focused on which stocks are winners or losers but have paid little attention to the formation process of past returns. This paper develops a model showing that past returns and the formation process of past returns have a joint effect on future expected returns. The empirical evidence shows that the zero-investment portfolio, including stocks with specific patterns of historical prices, improves monthly momentum profit by 59%. Overall, the process of how one stock becomes a winner or loser can further distinguish the best and worst stocks in a group of winners or losers.

Keywords: Momentum; Historical Price; Price Movement

JEL Classification: G12, G14