R&D expenditure volatility and stock return: Adjustment costs, earnings management or overinvestment-control?
Document Type
Conference Proceeding
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
School
School of Business and Law
RAS ID
24033
Abstract
A positive relation between the level of R&D expenditure and firm performance has been widely documented; however, changes to this level may incur adjustment costs, arise from earnings management, or reflect the actions of managers attempting to control technocrats overinvesting in value-decreasing projects. Using 4539 publicly listed US firms in the period 1980-2010, we find a significantly negative relation between the volatility of R&D expenditure and stock return. This relation is stronger for young, R&D-increased firms, and during recessionary periods. These results are consistent with managers manipulating earnings, but to smooth, rather than to improve, their firm’s reported performance.
Access Rights
free_to_read
Comments
Xianga, E., Gasbarrob, D., & Ruanb, W. (2016, December). R&D Expenditure Volatility and Stock Return: Adjustment Costs, Earnings Management or Overinvestment-control?. In ECU Business Doctoral and Emerging Scholars Colloquium 2016 (p. 77). Available here