The announcement effect of shipping sale-and-leaseback transactions

Purpose This paper investigates the announcement effect of shipping sale-and-leaseback (SLB) transactions. As an emerging source of financing, a growing deal of interest has been paid to the SLB. However, little is known about a variety of aspects of SLB transactions in the shipping industry. In this regard, this study examines the stock market reaction to the SLB announcements of shipping firms and their impact on shareholders' wealth. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 15 shipping SLB deals commenced by publicly-listed Korean shipping companies during 2009–2023 are examined in this research. The announcement effect is measured by abnormal returns (AR) of their stocks based on the event study analysis. Findings It is found that the AR on the shipping SLB announcement date is, on average, −0.84% while there is no statistical significance. However, the results indicate that shareholders of shipping companies engaging in large-sized SLBs can experience positive AR around the announcement date. Originality/value This study is the first attempt to investigate the announcement effect of SLB transactions on the shipping industry and their impact on shareholders' wealth. The findings in this research can offer implications for the financing decisions of shipping companies and investment decisions of stock investors.