Analyzing the Analysts: Career Concerns and Biased Earnings Forecasts

Posted: 17 Oct 2003

See all articles by Jeffrey D. Kubik

Jeffrey D. Kubik

Syracuse University - Department of Economics

Harrison G. Hong

Columbia University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Abstract

We examine security analysts' career concerns by relating their earnings forecasts to job separations. Relatively accurate forecasters are more likely to experience favorable career outcomes like moving up to a high-status brokerage house. Controlling for accuracy, analysts who are optimistic relative to the consensus are more likely to experience favorable job separations. For analysts who cover stocks underwritten by their houses, job separations depend less on accuracy and more on optimism. Job separations were less sensitive to accuracy and more sensitive to optimism during the recent stock market mania. Brokerage houses apparently reward optimistic analysts who promote stocks.

JEL Classification: G29, M41

Suggested Citation

Kubik, Jeffrey D. and Hong, Harrison G., Analyzing the Analysts: Career Concerns and Biased Earnings Forecasts. The Journal of Finance, Vol. 58, No. 1, pp. 313-351, 2003, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=377116

Jeffrey D. Kubik

Syracuse University - Department of Economics ( email )

426 Eggers Hall
Syracuse, NY 13244-1020
United States
315-443-9063 (Phone)
315-443-1081 (Fax)

Harrison G. Hong (Contact Author)

Columbia University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Department of Economics ( email )

420 W. 118th Street
New York, NY 10027
United States

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Abstract Views
2,374
PlumX Metrics