Sustainability or performance? Ratings and fund managers’ incentives

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Financial Economics
Year: 2024
Volume: 155
Issue: C

Authors (3)

Gantchev, Nickolay (not in RePEc) Giannetti, Mariassunta (Stockholm School of Economics) Li, Rachel (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

1.341 = (α=2.01 / 3 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

We explore how mutual fund managers and investors react when the tradeoff between a fund's sustainability and performance becomes salient. Following the introduction of Morningstar's sustainability ratings (the “globe” ratings), mutual funds increased their holdings of sustainable stocks to attract flows. Such sustainability-driven trades, however, underperformed, impairing the funds’ overall performance. Consequently, a tradeoff between sustainability and performance emerged. In the new equilibrium, the globe ratings do not affect investor flows and funds no longer trade to improve their globe ratings.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:jfinec:v:155:y:2024:i:c:s0304405x24000540
Journal Field
Finance
Author Count
3
Added to Database
2026-01-25