Growth options and interest rate exposure: a cross country comparison

Abstract

This study is aimed to investigate and compare the impact of growth options on the relationship between stock returns and interest rate change across countries. In the study, the firm’s growth options are measured by the book-to-market equity ratio. The sample consists of listed companies in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thai during 1997-2003 period. The study finds that the impact of growth options on the relationship between stock returns and interest rate change is different in each country and depends on the models. In models controlling market factors, the results found in Singapore are consistent with the hypothesis. Returns on high-growth portfolio are positively correlated with interest rate change, while those on low-growth portfolio are negatively correlated with interest rate change. In addition, in the models that use the three-factor model as control variables, most stock returns are not significantly correlated with interest rate.