Sheeja Sivaprasad

The Leverage Effect on Stock Returns

This paper examines the relation between abnormal stock returns and leverage. Expanding on Modigliani and Miller’s (1958) Proposition II, abnormal returns are estimated using the asset pricing models of Sharpe and Lintner (the traditional Capital Asset Pricing Model, CAPM), of Fama and French and of Carhart. The findings indicate that returns are decreasing in firm leverage. This paper tests this relation empirically with other risk factors and finds that the results remain robust. The results show that leverage is a firm characteristic that loads on a risk factor. This evidence suggests that leverage should be priced as a risk factor and requires adequate incorporation into common asset pricing models.

An Investment Strategy Based on Leverage: Evidence from BSE 500

This paper examines the value relevance of leverage to equity investors. We construct a short-term investment strategy based on leverage of Indian firms over a ten year period. We examine the ability of leverage to predict stock returns by analysing the cumulative abnormal returns for a holding period of one year. We show that returns increase in leverage. Robustness tests are carried out to examine the returns in excess of those attainable using firm characteristics such as size, price-to-book, price-earnings and dividend yield. Our findings show that portfolios based on size and leverage can yield an excess return of up to 23 percent.

The impact of leverage on stock returns in the hospitality sector: evidence from the UK

This paper examines the relation between capital structure and abnormal returns for the UK hospitality sector by using an investment strategy based on hospitality firms’ capital structure. We find that abnormal returns are higher, 0.53 percent per annum, for medium leverage hospitality firms, and it can be increased up to 0.91 percent by investing in medium leverage and low price-to-book value firms. The findings raise an important issue for the hospitality sector as the firms in this sector are continually aiming to raise external finance to fund expansion. This is a unique situation when compared to other sectors in the economy whereby investors earn higher abnormal returns when investing in low levered firms (Muradoglu and Sivaprasad, 2012a).

Continuous and discrete time modelling of spillovers in equity and bond markets

In this paper we investigate the return and volatility spillovers among equity and bond markets in the UK, USA, Germany and Japan, using continuous time models and discrete time multivariate GARCH modelling methods. Using weekly data over the period 2001 to 2011, empirical evidence of uni- and/or bi-directional return and volatility spillovers is provided. The continuous time analysis finds evidence of feedback effects in some cases. The discrete time results provide weak evidence of return spillovers, while volatility transmission among the majority of equity and fixed income markets is verified. Evidence shows that some of these relationships change in the post-crisis period.

The Impact of Internationalization on Zero Leverage: Evidence from the UK

Despite the increasing attention on the role of internationalization in firms’ capital structure decisions, and the increasing adoption of zero leverage policies by multinationals, no study attempts to explain the effect of multi-nationality on the zero leverage decision. This study explores the relationship between the level of internationalization and zero leverage using a large panel of UK companies, while controlling for various company-related factors. We find strong evidence that multi-nationality affects the propensity of firms to have zero leverage and that this decision is affected by industry specificities.

Are there return and volatility spillovers from major bank stocks to the national stock market in the UK

We investigate the return and volatility spillovers from major UK banks to Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 (FTSE 100) index using Gaussian estimation and continuous time models as well as discrete time multivariate GARCH (MGARCH) modelling approaches. Using daily, weekly and monthly data over the period December 1999–December 2010, which includes the recent 2007–2009 global financial crisis, empirical estimates of uni- and/or bi-directional return and volatility spillovers are provided. The bivariate MGARCH results reveal strong return spillovers from the FTSE to the banks, and no return spillover from the latter to the FTSE. Nevertheless, strong bi-directional volatility transmission is verified. The continuous time analysis provides mixed evidence of feedback effects over the different models.