Why Are Successive Cohorts of Listed Firms Persistently Riskier?

61 Pages Posted: 30 Jan 2016 Last revised: 3 Feb 2016

See all articles by Anup Srivastava

Anup Srivastava

University of Calgary - Haskayne School of Business

Senyo Y. Tse

Texas A&M University - Lowry Mays College & Graduate School of Business

Date Written: January 15, 2016

Abstract

Prior studies show that the risk level of each new cohort of listed firms is higher than its predecessor’s. We find that these risk differences are persistent and investigate two potential explanations: (1) Each cohort adopts and retains operating innovations that are associated with higher risks and (2) increasing numbers of younger and less-experienced firms are represented in each new cohort. Our results support the first explanation. Each new cohort uses riskier production technologies and operates in more competitive product markets than its predecessor.

Keywords: Idiosyncratic risk, earnings volatility, intangible investments, product market uncertainty

JEL Classification: M41, G11, G32

Suggested Citation

Srivastava, Anup and Tse, Senyo Y., Why Are Successive Cohorts of Listed Firms Persistently Riskier? (January 15, 2016). European Financial Management Journal, Forthcoming, Mays Business School Research Paper No. 2724081, Tuck School of Business Working Paper No. 2724081, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2724081 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2724081

Anup Srivastava (Contact Author)

University of Calgary - Haskayne School of Business ( email )

2500 University Drive, NW
Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4
Canada

Senyo Y. Tse

Texas A&M University - Lowry Mays College & Graduate School of Business ( email )

Wehner 401Q, MS 4353
456C
College Station, TX 77843-4218
United States
979-845-3784 (Phone)

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