Title: Can overreaction explain part of the size premium?

Authors: K. Ozgur Demirtas, A. Burak Guner

Addresses: Department of Economics and Finance, Baruch College, City University of New York, Box 10-225, New York 10010, USA. ' Barclays Global Investors, 45 Fremont Street, San Francsico, CA 94105, USA

Abstract: This paper uncovers several empirical regularities in the returns of small stocks. First, within the sample of firms that have low market capitalisations, stocks with low past profitability (|laggers|) bring returns that are significantly higher than those of stocks with high past profitability (|leaders|). Second, the size premium is generated largely by small laggers. Moreover, both patterns are particularly pronounced at earnings-announcement dates, suggesting that unexpected earnings growth can explain a portion of the abnormal returns to small stocks. Since these findings point to market inefficiency, they are especially important for the revenue management of money managers who invest in small stocks.

Keywords: small-firm effect; forecasting; revenue management; return anomalies; small firms; overreaction; low market capitalisation; size premium; earnings growth; unexpected growth; small stocks.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRM.2008.020623

International Journal of Revenue Management, 2008 Vol.2 No.3, pp.234 - 253

Published online: 05 Oct 2008 *

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