Table A1

Variable definitions

Dependent Variable
FEAbsolute Value of the difference between the actual earnings and the forecasted earnings, scaled by the stock price. This variable is multiplied by 100
Control Variables
LEV(dlttq + dlcq) Scaled by the lagged value of total assets
BTMCommon equity scaled by the market value of equity
FCF(oibdpq - (rectq + invtq + acoq - lcoq -apq) - capxy)/atq
INVESTMENT(capxy + aqcy + xrdq-sppey) scaled by lagged assets (Compustat items)
DURATIONNumber of years since analyst first followed the firm
ANALYST_ISSUINGNumber of analysts issuing a forecast for the firm by forecast period end date
SIZENatural log of total assets
BAD NEWSDummy Variable that takes a value of 1(0) when Surprise is negative (positive)
KZINDEXRefer Kaplan & Zingales (1997) 
IND_EXPERIENCENumber of years an analyst has been following the same industry
Cross-Sectional Variables
HIGH INTENSITYDummy variable equal to 1(0) for firms located in States of lockdown duration in the top (other) quartile
PANDEMICDummy variable equal to 1(0) for forecasts issued after (before) 11th March 2020 (i.e., after the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic by the WHO)
HIGH CONCENTRATIONDummy variable equal to 1(0) for firms with institutional investor concentration in the top (other) quartile
FEWER COVERAGEDummy variable equal to 1 for firms with analyst-following in the lowest quartile; 0 otherwise
Other Variables
HREDummy variable equal to 1(0) for analysts in the top (bottom) quartile of firms exposed to epidemic risks
COVIDDummy variable equal to 1(0) if the forecast period end date is after (before) 1st January 2020

Source(s): Appendix by authors

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