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Effect of Investor Sentiment on the Stock Market Reaction to Earnings News: The Case of Loss Firms

In this study, we examine the effect of investor sentiment on the stock market reaction to earnings news (i.e., the earnings response coefficient or ERC) for loss firms. We find that the ERC for loss firms’ earnings increases is less positive as sentiment increases, contrary to the findings in prior literature examining how sentiment affects the ERC for profit firms. Cross-sectional analysis reveals that the dampened ERC associated with earnings increases in loss firms during high sentiment periods is driven by various firm characteristics including low book values of equity, low R&D intensity, the inability to raise external capital, and a lack of nonrecurring write-offs. We also examine future returns and find that, on average, the effect of sentiment on loss firms’ earnings changes reverses in the second year following an earnings announcement.