We exploit a modification to Sustainalytics' environmental, social, and governance (ESG) rating methodology, which is subsequently adopted by Morningstar, to study whether ESG ratings are salient for stock pricing. We show that the inversion of the rating scale but not new information leads some...

We introduce a new framework for forming peer firm portfolios that can account for firm uniqueness and organizational form. Our new vocabulary-based peer firm portfolios explain much cross sectional dispersion in firm valuations and generate a direct measure of firm product market uniqueness. We...

We examine the importance of firm integration to outcomes of mergers and acquisitions using new ex ante product-based measures of firm integration. Our framework allows us to measure ex ante integration risk for both observed acquisitions and proposed acquisitions that might not materialize. As...

We test the hypothesis that low visibility shocks to text-based network industry peers can explain industry momentum. We consider industry peer firms identified through 10-K product text and focus on economic peer links that do not share common SIC codes. Shocks to less visible peers generate...