Firms that substantially increase capital investments subsequently achieve negative benchmark-adjusted returns. The negative abnormal capital investment/return relation is shown to be stronger for firms that have greater investment discretion, i.e., firms with higher cash flows and lower debt...

This paper attempts to distinguish between rational and behavioral explanations for the gross profitability effect in the international setting. Using data from 41 countries over the period 1980-2010, we find that in most countries, firms with higher gross profitability subsequently experience...

Firms that substantially increase capital investments subsequently achieve negative benchmark-adjusted returns. The negative abnormal capital investment/return relation is shown to be stronger for firms that have greater investment discretion, i.e., firms with higher cash flows and lower debt...