In short supply: Short-sellers and stock returns
We examine the economic determinants of short-sale supply, and its consequences for
future stock returns. Lendable supply increases with expected borrowing costs and
decreases with financial statement constructs that indicate overvaluation. Although rising
loan fees help ease supply constraints, we find shares are still least available when they
are most attractive to short sellers. Using a number of firm characteristics, we derive
useful instruments for real-time loan supply and demand conditions in the lending
market. Further, we show that (1) when lendable supply is binding (non-binding), shortsale
supply (demand) is the main predictor of future stock returns, (2) abnormal returns to
the short-side of nine well-known market anomalies are attributable solely to “special”
stocks, and (3) loan fees significantly reduce the profitability of the short side and several
of these anomalies cease to be profitable. Overall our evidence highlights the central role
played by the supply of lendable shares in equity price formation and returns prediction