1 Introduction
2 Literature review
3 Hypothesis development
4 Sample selection and characteristics
Sampling procedure steps | Absolute number | Percent | |
---|---|---|---|
Firms listed in four key selection indices as of June 30, 2009 | |||
Dax | 30 | ||
MDax | +50 | ||
TecDax | +30 | ||
SDax | +50 | 160 | 100 |
Firms in financial, insurance, and real estate industries | –26 | −16 | |
Other firms excluded from sample | |||
Not listed during 2002 to 2008 | –29 | ||
Registered under non-German law | –5 | –34 | −21 |
Number of sample firms | 100 | 63 |
Mean | Extremes | Percentile | SD |
n
| ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min | Max | 25 % | 50 % | 75 % | ||||
Descriptive statistics of sample firms | ||||||||
MV | 6.13 | 0.01 | 100.1 | 0.32 | 0.94 | 4.32 | 13.33 | 700 |
REV | 10.47 | 0.00 | 151.61 | 0.50 | 1.63 | 7.51 | 21.98 | 700 |
EMPL | 41.62 | 0.02 | 536.33 | 2.40 | 8.04 | 36.83 | 85.88 | 700 |
ASSETS | 14.13 | 0.00 | 262.22 | 0.38 | 1.38 | 7.85 | 35.45 | 700 |
5 Research model and variable measurement
5.1 Empirical model
5.2 Independent variable: strategy disclosure scores
Strategy disclosure items | No. of items | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Category | Sub-category | Sub-category | Category | |
Strategic analysis | ||||
Corporate environment | ||||
I | 1 | Political/social/legal environment | 2 | 6 (15 % of 40 items) |
2 | Macro-economic environment | 2 | ||
3 | Strategic position of corporation | 2 | ||
Business environment | ||||
II | 1 | Market environment | 5 | 14 (35 %) |
2 | Competitive environment | 5 | ||
3 | Strategic position of business | 4 | ||
Strategy definition and detailing | ||||
Corporate strategy | ||||
III | 1 | Overall strategic orientation | 2 | 5 (12.5 %) |
2 | Strategic objectives of corporation | 3 | ||
Business strategy | ||||
IV | 1 | Strategic objectives of business | 3 | 10 (25 %) |
2 | Details on business strategy | 7 | ||
Strategy implementation | ||||
V | 1 | Communication to, motivation of staff | 2 | 5 (12.5 %) |
2 | Realization of strategy | 3 | ||
Sum | 40 (100 %) |
Score | Mean | Extremes | Percentiles | SD | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min | Max | 25 % | 50 % | 75 % | |||
SDS total | 0.34 | 0.03 | 0.83 | 0.25 | 0.33 | 0.40 | 0.12 |
SDS sub-scores | |||||||
Analysis | 0.38 | 0.06 | 0.85 | 0.30 | 0.39 | 0.45 | 0.13 |
Strategy | 0.36 | 0.00 | 0.87 | 0.20 | 0.33 | 0.47 | 0.18 |
Implementation | 0.09 | 0.00 | 0.80 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.20 | 0.15 |
Correlation analysis of strategy disclosure scores and related sub-scores | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
1 | SDS total | 0.824*** (0.000) | 0.851*** (0.000) | 0.480*** (0.000) | |
2 | SDS sub-score ‘analysis’ | 0.857*** (0.000) | 0.458*** (0.000) | 0.306*** (0.000) | |
3 | SDS sub-score ‘strategy’ | 0.852*** (0.000) | 0.493*** (0.000) | 0.339*** (0.000) | |
4 | SDS sub-score ‘implementation’ | 0.552*** (0.000) | 0.378*** (0.000) | 0.361*** (0.000) |
MV | LIST | LEV | BIG4 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Correlation analysis of strategy disclosure scores and firm characteristics | |||||
SDS | (n = 700) | 0.487*** (0.000) | 0.225*** (0.000) | 0.139*** (0.001) | 0.187*** (0.000) |
5.3 Dependent variables: cost of equity capital, bid–ask spreads and trading volumes
MV | BETA | LEV | |
---|---|---|---|
Panel A: correlation analysis of cost of equity capital (CC) and firm characteristics | |||
CC—cost of equity capital | −0.088** (0.023) | 0.093** (0.020) | 0.198*** (0.000) |
MV (−) | BETA (+) | LEV (+) | YEAR | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Panel B: OLS regression of cost of equity capital on firm characteristics | |||||
Coefficient | −0.150*** (0.000) | 0.117*** (0.005) | 0.178*** (0.000) | −0.243*** (0.000) | |
R2 adj. | 0.108*** (0.000) |
Parameter | Period | Mean | Extremes | Percentile | SD |
n
| |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min | Max | 25 % | 50 % | 75 % | |||||
Panel A: descriptive statistics of cost of equity capital estimates | |||||||||
CC—cost of equity capital | (t + 1) | 6.782 | 1.270 | 13.52 | 5.685 | 6.610 | 7.790 | 1.868 | 661 |
Panel B: descriptive statistics of proxies of cost of equity capital | |||||||||
BAS—bid–ask spread | (t + 1) | 0.0106 | 0.0009 | 0.0794 | 0.0045 | 0.0085 | 0.0139 | 0.0085 | 700 |
TV—trading volume [Ln] | (t + 1) | 20.64 | 13.30 | 26.40 | 18.90 | 20.20 | 22.40 | 2.381 | 700 |
5.4 Control variables
Parameter | Period | Mean | Extremes | Percentile | SD |
n
| |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Min | Max | 25 % | 50 % | 75 % | |||||
Firm characteristics | |||||||||
PROF—profitability [F] | (t) | 0.000 | −12.66 | 1.799 | −0.1673 | 0.0501 | 0.3149 | 1.000 | 700 |
LEV—leverage [F] | (t) | 0.000 | −1.827 | 4.792 | −0.7922 | −0.0952 | 0.6699 | 1.000 | 700 |
IFF—inverse freefloat | (t + 1) | 33.84 | 0.000 | 93.13 | 10.10 | 31.34 | 54.23 | 25.39 | 600 |
Capital market data | |||||||||
NAF—analysts following | (t + 1) | 16.99 | 0.000 | 46.42 | 7.938 | 14.75 | 25.23 | 10.99 | 700 |
MV—market value [Ln] | (t) | 20.91 | 14.30 | 25.33 | 19.57 | 20.66 | 22.18 | 1.853 | 700 |
MV—market value [Ln] | (t + 1) | 20.97 | 6.910 | 25.33 | 19.73 | 20.79 | 22.33 | 2.077 | 700 |
RET—share price return | (t + 1) | 25.66 | −94.50 | 638.1 | −8.375 | 17.50 | 44.90 | 70.95 | 700 |
BETA—market beta | (t + 1) | 0.8969 | 0.256 | 2.094 | 0.6696 | 0.8559 | 1.104 | 0.3426 | 651 |
VOLA—volatility | (t + 1) | 30.45 | 14.73 | 59.15 | 24.68 | 28.90 | 35.06 | 8.313 | 662 |
6 Results
6.1 Bivariate analysis
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | SDS (t) | −0.216*** (0.000) | −0.448*** (0.000) | 0.504*** (0.000) | 0.469*** (0.000) | 0.446*** (0.000) | 0.089** (0.023) | −0.194*** (0.000) | −112*** (0.006) | |
2 | CC (t + 1) | −0.198*** (0.000) | 0.055 (0.161) | −0.167*** (0.000) | −0.238*** (0.000) | −0.167*** (0.000) | 0.125*** (0.002) | 0.196*** (0.000) | −0.180*** (0.000) | |
3 | BAS (t + 1) | −0.402*** (0.000) | 0.033 (0.395) | −0.734*** (0.000) | −0.745*** (0.000) | −0.780*** (0.000) | −0.055 (0.161) | 0.051 (0.176) | 0.323*** (0.000) | |
4 | TV (t + 1) | 0.515*** (0.000) | −0.093** (0.016) | −0.571*** (0.000) | 0.779*** (0.000) | 0.692*** (0.000) | 0.188*** (0.000) | −0.105*** (0.006) | −0.328*** (0.000) | |
5 | NAF (t + 1) | 0.441*** (0.000) | −0.154*** (0.000) | −0.590*** (0.000) | 0.792*** (0.000) | 0.809*** (0.000) | 0.022 (0.583) | −0.125*** (0.001) | −0.198*** (0.000) | |
6 | MV (t + 1) | 0.421*** (0.000) | −0.088** (0.023) | −0.556*** (0.000) | 0.629*** (0.000) | 0.740*** (0.000) | −0.052 (0.189) | 0.068* (0.073) | −0.010 (0.809) | |
7 | BETA (t + 1) | 0.062 (0.114) | 0.093** (0.020) | −0.044 (0.265) | 0.178*** (0.000) | −0.003 (0.945) | −0.059 (0.136) | 0.052 (0.181) | −0.260*** (0.000) | |
8 | RET (t + 1) | −0.177*** (0.000) | 0.172*** (0.000) | 0.191*** (0.000) | −0.082** (0.031) | −0.178** (0.000) | −0.037 (0.327) | 0.108*** (0.006) | −0.044 (0.278) | |
9 | IFF (t + 1) | −0.125*** (0.002) | −0.187*** (0.000) | 0.206*** (0.000) | −0.351*** (0.000) | −0.217*** (0.000) | −0.048 (0.237) | −0.254*** (0.000) | −0.049 (0.228) |
6.2 Multivariate analysis
6.2.1 H1: association of voluntary strategy disclosure with cost of equity capital
Basic model | Enhanced basic model | Enhanced model w/index dummies | Final Model | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coefficient |
p
| Coefficient |
p
| Coefficient |
p
| Coefficient |
p
| |
OLS regression analysis of CCt+1 on SDS
t
and controls | ||||||||
Strategy disclosure | ||||||||
SDS (−) (t) | −0.112** | (0.015) | −0.117** | (0.013) | −0.121*** | (0.009) | −0.135*** | (0.004) |
Metric controls | ||||||||
MV [Ln] (−) (t + 1) | −0.128*** | (0.000) | −0.228*** | (0.000) | −0.266*** | (0.006) | −0.201** | (0.010) |
VOLA (+) (t + 1) | −0.103** | (0.040) | −0.074 | (0.158) | −0.059 | (0.299) | −0.002 | (0.969) |
BETA (+) (t + 1) | 0.155*** | (0.000) | 0.088* | (0.050) | 0.121** | (0.012) | 0.037 | (0.437) |
LEV [F] (+) (t) | 0.206*** | (0.000) | 0.249*** | (0.000) | 0.230*** | (0.000) | 0.299*** | (0.000) |
PROF [F] (−) (t) | −0.040 | (0.341) | −0.143*** | (0.001) | −0.109** | (0.012) | −0.100** | (0.017) |
TV [Ln] (−) (t + 1) | −0.017* | (0.089) | −0.172** | (0.023) | −0.263*** | (0.001) | −0.257*** | (0.003) |
RET (+) (t + 1) | 0.149*** | (0.001) | 0.189*** | (0.000) | 0.185*** | (0.000) | ||
IFF (−) (t + 1) | −0.279*** | (0.000) | −0.214*** | (0.000) | −0.166*** | (0.000) | ||
YEAR | −0.143*** | (0.001) | −0.071 | (0.130) | −0.028 | (0.556) | 0.012 | (0.802) |
Non-metric controls | ||||||||
Index dummies | ||||||||
Dax (t + 1) | −0.383** | (0.012) | −0.269* | (0.065) | ||||
MDax (t + 1) | −0.110 | (0.384) | −0.073 | (0.542) | ||||
TecDax (t + 1) | −0.032 | (0.762) | −0.026 | (0.794) | ||||
SDax (t + 1) | −0.020 | (0.832) | −0.016 | (0.855) | ||||
Industry dummies | ||||||||
Inf. technology (t + 1) | 0.039 | (0.604) | ||||||
Consumer goods (t + 1) | 0.006 | (0.948) | ||||||
Consumer Svcs. (t + 1) | −0.164** | (0.023) | ||||||
Industrials (t + 1) | 0.114 | (0.301) | ||||||
Pharma (t + 1) | 0.032 | (0.672) | ||||||
Basic materials (t + 1) | −0.118* | (0.096) | ||||||
Utilities (t + 1) | 0.012 | (0.804) | ||||||
Firm age dummies | ||||||||
Age cluster 1 (t + 1) | −0.129** | (0.027) | ||||||
Age cluster 2 (t + 1) | −0.159*** | (0.003) | ||||||
Age cluster 3 (t + 1) | −0.064 | (0.170) | ||||||
Accounting dummies | ||||||||
Standard (t) | 0.069* | (0.082) | ||||||
BIG4 (t) | −0.106*** | (0.009) | ||||||
R2 | 0.131 | 0.269 | 0.294 | 0.403 | ||||
R2 adj. | 0.120*** | (0.000) | 0.255*** | (0.000) | 0.274*** | (0.000) | 0.371 *** | (0.000) |
n | 604 | 508 | 508 | 508 |
6.2.2 H2: association of voluntary strategy disclosures with bid–ask spreads and trading volume
OLS regression analysis of BASt+1 or TVt+1 on SDS
t
and controls | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Panel A: analysis of BASt + 1 | Panel B: analysis of TVt + 1 | |||||||
Basic model | Final model | Basic model | Final model | |||||
Coefficient |
p
| Coefficient |
p
| Coefficient |
p
| Coefficient |
p
| |
Strategy disclosure | ||||||||
SDS (−) (t) | −0.112*** | (0.000) | −0.047** | (0.046) | ||||
SDS (+) (t) | 0.133*** | (0.000) | 0.077*** | (0.000) | ||||
Metric controls | ||||||||
MV [Ln] (− | +) (t + 1) | −0.788*** | (0.000) | −0.567*** | (0.000) | 0.832** | (0.000) | 0.457*** | (0.000) |
VOLA (+ | +) (t + 1) | −0.059** | (0.025) | −0.039 | (0.161) | 0.302** | (0.000) | 0.225*** | (0.000) |
RET (− | +) (t + 1) | 0.069*** | (0.005) | 0.008 | (0.742) | −0.125** | (0.000) | −0.056*** | (0.006) |
IFF (+ | −) (t + 1) | 0.208*** | (0.000) | −0.232** | (0.000) | −0.114*** | (0.000) | ||
TV [Ln] (−) (t + 1) | −0.078* | (0.072) | ||||||
NAF (−) (t) | 0.110** | (0.032) | ||||||
PROF [F] (+) (t) | −0.086*** | (0.000) | ||||||
BETA (+) (t + 1) | 0.064*** | (0.003) | ||||||
Qualitative controls | ||||||||
Index dummies | ||||||||
Dax (t + 1) | −0.283*** | (0.000) | 0.581*** | (0.000) | ||||
MDax (t + 1) | −0.149*** | (0.003) | 0.281*** | (0.000) | ||||
TecDax (t + 1) | −0.101*** | (0.003) | 0.189*** | (0.000) | ||||
SDax (t + 1) | 0.058* | (0.095) | 0.020 | (0.644) | ||||
YEAR | 0.021 | (0.396) | −0.107*** | (0.000) | 0.021 | (0.334) | 0.094*** | (0.000) |
R
2
| 0.672 | 0.784 | 0.804 | 0.849 | ||||
R2 adj. | 0.670*** | (0.000) | 0.779*** | (0.000) | 0.802*** | (0.000) | 0.846*** | (0.000) |
n (nmax = 700) | 662 | 568 | 564 | 524 |
7 Further analyses and robustness checks
Model | Criterion | Symbol | CC | BAS | TV |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Panel A: overview on original results | |||||
Basis: linear model (OLS) | Determination | R2 adj. | 0.371 | 0.779 | 0.846 |
F value | (0.000) | (0.000) | (0.000) | ||
SDS (scores) | Coefficient β | −0.135*** | −0.047** | 0.077*** | |
p value | (0.004) | (0.046) | (0.000) | ||
Panel B: additional analyses and robustness checks | |||||
(1a) Incremental effect of SDS #1 (SDS regressed jointly with page count indicator) | Determination | R2 adj. | 0.378*** | 0.781*** | 0.861*** |
F value | (0.000) | (0.000) | (0.000) | ||
SDS (scores) | Coefficient β | −0.174*** | −0.072*** | 0.076*** | |
p value | (0.001) | (0.005) | (0.000) | ||
MR page (Mgmt. report page count) | Coefficient β | 0.085* | −0.016 | 0.000 | |
p value | (0.064) | (0.510) | (0.995) | ||
(1b) Incremental effect of SDS #2 (SDS regressed jointly with another disclosure variable) | Determination | R2 adj. | 0.374*** | 0.779*** | 0.845*** |
F value | (0.000) | (0.000) | (0.000) | ||
SDS (scores) | Coefficient β | −0.161** | −0.071** | 0.077*** | |
p value | (0.001) | (0.006) | (0.000) | ||
BAR Net (disclosure metric w/o strategic content | Coefficient β | 0.142*** | 0.039 | 0.004 | |
p value | (0.003) | (0.126) | (0.857) | ||
(2) Functional relationship: rank regression (OLS) | Determination | R2 adj. | 0.411*** | 0.707*** | 0.829*** |
F value | (0.000) | (0.000) | (0.000) | ||
SDS (ranks) | Coefficient β | −0.155*** | −0.074*** | 0.084*** | |
p value | (0.000) | (0.004) | (0.000) | ||
(3) Panel data: fixed effects model (within transformation) | Determination | R2 adj. | 0.192*** | 0.459*** | 0.566*** |
F value | (0.000) | (0.000) | (0.000) | ||
SDS (scores) | Coefficient β | −0.144*** | −0.113** | 0.120*** | |
p value | (0.004) | (0.014) | (0.002) | ||
(4) Panel data: clustering of sample firms (GLM) | Determination |
R
2
| 0.403*** | 0.784*** | 0.849*** |
F value | (0.000) | (0.000) | (0.000) | ||
SDS (scores) | Coefficient B | −0.110*** | −0.104 | 0.436** | |
p value | (0.004) | (0.114) | (0.015) | ||
(5) Endogeneity: residual test (Hausman) | Determination | R2 adj. | 0.360*** | 0.720*** | 0.846*** |
F value | (0.000) | (0.000) | (0.000) | ||
Residual term | Coefficient β | 0.059 | 0.044 | −0.230 | |
p value | (0.606) | (0.478) | (0.358) |