Is the predictability of dividend payments fully reflected in stock prices? European evidence

Abstract

This paper presents European level evidence on the dividend month premium asset pricing anomaly which was discovered from the U.S. stock markets by Hartzmark and Solomon (2013). Stocks with predicted ex-dividend day in this month earn significant abnormal returns compared to all other stocks. After regressing portfolios monthly excess returns with Fama-French five-factor model and momentum factor, I find statistical significant results from Finland, Sweden and United Kingdom. Results are indicating that risk-based explanations are unlikely to be correct. The dividend month premium is consistent with dividend clientele theory.