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Journal of Accounting and Economics Vol. 69 No. 1 2020

Analysts and anomalies

Joseph Engelberg1; R. David McLean2; Jeffrey Pontiff3

1 University of California San Diego · 2 Georgetown University · 3 Boston College

Abstract

Analysts' price targets and recommendations contradict stock return anomaly variables. Using an index based on 125 anomalies, we find that analysts' annual stock return forecasts are 11% higher for anomaly-shorts than for anomaly-longs. Anomaly-shorts’ return forecasts are excessively optimistic, exceeding realized returns by 34%. Recommendations also tend to be more favorable for anomaly-shorts, although this result varies across anomaly types. Consistent with analysts' slowly incorporating anomaly information, anomalies forecast revisions in both price targets and recommendations. Our findings imply that investors who follow analysts' actionable information contribute to mispricing.

DOI
10.1016/j.jacceco.2019.101249
Volume
69
Issue
1
Pages
101249
Language
en
Sources
bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref

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