We investigate firms that stop providing earnings guidance (‘‘stoppers’’) either by
publicly announcing their decision (‘‘announcers’’) or doing so quietly (‘‘quiet stoppers’’).
Relative to firms that continue guiding, stoppers have poorer prior performance, more
uncertain operating environments, and fewer informed investors. Announcers commit to
non-disclosure because they (i) do not expect to report future good news or (ii) have lower
incentives to guide due to the presence of long-term investors. The three-day return
around the announcement is negative. Stoppers subsequently experience increases in
analyst forecast dispersion and decreases in forecast accuracy but no change in return
volatility or analyst following.