How to Talk Down Your Stock Performance

Context specific language or jargon helps, by definition, to efficiently and precisely transfer information. However, due to its complex nature, jargon might also be a tool to obfuscate information. This paper studies whether jargon is used in verbal firm disclosures to obfuscate or to efficiently transfer information. We observe that, within the Q&A of earnings conference calls, managers use less jargon in responses to tougher questions, and in calls after a quarter of bad success. Moreover, markets interpret the lack of precise information as a bad signal: we find lower cumulative abnormal returns and a higher implied volatility following earnings calls where managers use less jargon. These results support the argument that an excessive use of non-factual language is perceived as blathering that retards the reduction of information asymmetries