In contrast to existing literature that relates positive issuer bias in ratings to a conflict of interest, we document a bias in corporate ratings resulting from a conservative rating policy that accounts for the asymmetric impact of a rating downgrade on firms' access to capital. Specifically,...

Many previous studies document a positive relation between research and development (Ramp;D) and equity value. Though Ramp;D can increase equity value by increasing firm value, it can also increase equity value at the expense of bondholder wealth through an increase in firm risk because equity...

The positive stock price reaction to stock buyback announcements reported in many previous studies is commonly interpreted as a signal that the firm's future profitability will rise, or that the firm is decreasing its agency costs by dispersing free cash flow, or that the firm is increasing its...

Much attention is paid to portfolio variance, but skewness is also important for both portfolio design and asset pricing. We revisit the empirical research on systematic skewness that we initiated 25 years ago. In an out-of-sample test, we find that the risk premium associated with skewness is...

Many previous studies document a positive relation between research and development (Ramp;D) and equity value. Though Ramp;D can increase equity value by increasing firm value, it can also increase equity value at the expense of bondholder wealth through an increase in firm risk because equity...

We examine a sample of 8,313 cases, between 1951 and 2001, where firms unexpectedly increase their research and development expenditures (Ramp;D) by a significant amount. We find consistent evidence that our sample firms are undervalued following their Ramp;D increases as manifested in the...

We examine a sample of 8,313 cases, between 1951 and 2001, where firms unexpectedly increase their research and development expenditures (Ramp;D) by a significant amount. We find consistent evidence of a mis-reaction, as manifested in the significantly positive abnormal stock returns that our...

We examine a sample of 1,175 firms following their acquisition of another firm. Consistent with previous work, we measure the operating performance of these firms in event-time, and find that they experience significantly positive abnormal operating performance subsequent to their acquisition....

Previous studies document negative long-term abnormal stock returns following seasoned equity offering (SEO) issuances, and conclude that markets are inefficient. Other studies, however, argue that these results are a manifestation of risk mismeasurment (i.e., the bad model problem), not market...