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The impact of carbon emissions on firm profitability and firm risk in Europe

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Resumo:This thesis aims to assess the connection between firm profitability and firm risk in the European area for 568 companies between 2010 and 2020, incorporating times of higher investor awareness. Stock returns, return on assets, stock return volatility and operating-income volatility serve as proxies when computing panel regressions while differentiating between three scopes of emissions and three emission variables. The results suggest a negative relationship between the level and intensities of carbon emissions and firm profitability, while there is no defined correlation with firm risk. Distinguishing between the different scopes of emissions and different forms of firm risk seems to be important when making decisions in the context of carbon emissions and associated risks or opportunities. This becomes even clearer when looking at the change in emissions where I show that coefficients carry the opposite sign compared to emission levels and intensities. Furthermore, managers should adjust decision-making during times of elevated investor awareness as the negative impact of higher carbon emissions on firm profitability amplifies.
Autores principais:Hennig, Saskia
Assunto:Carbon emissions Firm profitability Firm risk Investor awareness Emissões de carbono Rentabilidade da empresa Risco da empresa Sensibilização dos investidores
Ano:2023
País:Portugal
Tipo de documento:dissertação de mestrado
Tipo de acesso:acesso aberto
Instituição associada:Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Idioma:inglês
Origem:Veritati - Repositório Institucional da Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Descrição
Resumo:This thesis aims to assess the connection between firm profitability and firm risk in the European area for 568 companies between 2010 and 2020, incorporating times of higher investor awareness. Stock returns, return on assets, stock return volatility and operating-income volatility serve as proxies when computing panel regressions while differentiating between three scopes of emissions and three emission variables. The results suggest a negative relationship between the level and intensities of carbon emissions and firm profitability, while there is no defined correlation with firm risk. Distinguishing between the different scopes of emissions and different forms of firm risk seems to be important when making decisions in the context of carbon emissions and associated risks or opportunities. This becomes even clearer when looking at the change in emissions where I show that coefficients carry the opposite sign compared to emission levels and intensities. Furthermore, managers should adjust decision-making during times of elevated investor awareness as the negative impact of higher carbon emissions on firm profitability amplifies.