Dividend Growth Predictability and Stock Price Movement

Abstract

This paper studies dividend growth predictability without restricting conditioning information set to dividend yield alone. We highlight that predictability crucially hinges on how dividend growth is constructed. Dividend growth without reinvestment is significantly predictable both in-sample and out-of-sample by a number of economic fundamentals. The results are robust across subsamples. When dividend growth predictability is properly taken account of, it leads to a different picture of variance decomposition of returns. Contrary to the prevailing views, the cash flow news is important in driving stock price movement in aggregate level after incorporating dividend growth predictability.

Keywords: dividend growth, predictability, return decomposition

JEL Classification: C16, C53, C61, G11