{"title":"Unraveling the relationship between sustainability and returns: a multi-attribute utility analysis","authors":"Marcos Escobar-Anel, Yiyao Jiao","doi":"10.1108/cfri-09-2023-0241","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<h3>Purpose</h3>\n<p>This study aims to establish an analytical framework to help investors accommodate their environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) preferences. The analytical solutions were complemented by empirical analyses to shed light on their benefits and tractability.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Design/methodology/approach</h3>\n<p>This study proposes an expected multi-attribute utility analysis for ESG investors in which stocks can be treated as more green or less green (brown) than the market, represented by an index, all modeled in a one-factor structure. The solution is found via the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation with proper treatment of various sources of risk. For the empirical analysis, we use the RepRisk Rating of US stocks from 2010 to 2020 to select companies that are representative of various ESG ratings.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Findings</h3>\n<p>This study finds closed-form solutions for optimal allocations, wealth and value functions. Our empirical analysis reveals drastic increases in wealth allocation toward high-rated ESG stocks for ESG-sensitive investors, even as the overall level of pecuniary satisfaction remains unchanged.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->\n<h3>Originality/value</h3>\n<p>This study broadens the existing analytical framework by introducing a market portfolio along with green and brown stocks. As by-products, we first demonstrate that investors do not need to reduce their pecuniary satisfaction to increase green investment. Second, we propose a parameterization to capture investors' preferences for green assets over brown or market assets, independent of asset performance.</p><!--/ Abstract__block -->","PeriodicalId":44440,"journal":{"name":"China Finance Review International","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":9.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"China Finance Review International","FirstCategoryId":"96","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1108/cfri-09-2023-0241","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BUSINESS, FINANCE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to establish an analytical framework to help investors accommodate their environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) preferences. The analytical solutions were complemented by empirical analyses to shed light on their benefits and tractability.
Design/methodology/approach
This study proposes an expected multi-attribute utility analysis for ESG investors in which stocks can be treated as more green or less green (brown) than the market, represented by an index, all modeled in a one-factor structure. The solution is found via the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation with proper treatment of various sources of risk. For the empirical analysis, we use the RepRisk Rating of US stocks from 2010 to 2020 to select companies that are representative of various ESG ratings.
Findings
This study finds closed-form solutions for optimal allocations, wealth and value functions. Our empirical analysis reveals drastic increases in wealth allocation toward high-rated ESG stocks for ESG-sensitive investors, even as the overall level of pecuniary satisfaction remains unchanged.
Originality/value
This study broadens the existing analytical framework by introducing a market portfolio along with green and brown stocks. As by-products, we first demonstrate that investors do not need to reduce their pecuniary satisfaction to increase green investment. Second, we propose a parameterization to capture investors' preferences for green assets over brown or market assets, independent of asset performance.
期刊介绍:
China Finance Review International publishes original and high-quality theoretical and empirical articles focusing on financial and economic issues arising from China's reform, opening-up, economic development, and system transformation. The journal serves as a platform for exchange between Chinese finance scholars and international financial economists, covering a wide range of topics including monetary policy, banking, international trade and finance, corporate finance, asset pricing, market microstructure, corporate governance, incentive studies, fiscal policy, public management, and state-owned enterprise reform.