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Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis Vol. 50 No. 1-2 2015

Religion and Stock Price Crash Risk

Jeffrey L. Callen1; Xiaohua Fang2

1 University of Toronto · 2 Florida Atlantic University

open access

Abstract

This study examines whether religiosity at the county level is associated with future stock price crash risk. We find robust evidence that firms headquartered in counties with higher levels of religiosity exhibit lower levels of future stock price crash risk. This finding is consistent with the view that religion, as a set of social norms, helps to curb bad-news-hoarding activities by managers. Our evidence further shows that the negative relation between religiosity and future crash risk is stronger for riskier firms and for firms with weaker governance mechanisms measured by shareholder takeover rights and dedicated institutional ownership.

DOI
10.1017/s0022109015000046
Volume
50
Issue
1-2
Pages
169-195
Language
en
Sources
bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref

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