Do markets react to dividend announcements and sharia compliance? Evidence from organisation of Islamic cooperation countries

Purpose This study aims to investigate the market reaction to dividend announcements and sharia compliance based on the Islamic stock indexes of Indonesia, Malaysia and Pakistan by scrutinising investors’ interpretations, behaviour (traditional, rational, religious or ethical) and preferences. Design/methodology/approach Event study methodology (ESM) was used to analyse 31 days around the event date. The research period spanned 2011–2018, during which 282 observed dividend announcements were tested using a t-test, and there were 4,960 cases of sharia compliance in the data panel. Findings Indonesian investors react to earnings surprises as bad news while bypassing dividend announcements, thus classifying their behaviour as rational. Meanwhile, investors in Malaysia and Pakistan respond to dividend announcements as bad news while bypassing earnings surprises, thus classifying their behaviour as traditional. Surprisingly, sharia compliance does not affect abnormal returns. These results imply that investors prefer a profit motive rather than sharia compliance. Practical implications To perpetrate positive reactions, companies need to increase earnings (Indonesia), nominal dividends (Malaysia) and delay dividend announcements (Pakistan). Also, tax regulators need to evaluate dividend tax and capital gains tax. Social implications Investors cannot solely rely on Islamic stock lists, while regulators and firms must be transparent and accountable regarding sharia compliance ratio. Originality/value There is a dearth of research on market reaction in Islamic stock indexes. This study adheres to critical assumptions of ESM: controlling the confounding effects and ensuring market efficiency. These assumptions lead to the proposal of mandatory and advisory sharia compliance, evaluation of ratios using a staple scale and examination of differences in dividend tax rates. An extended tax preference theory is also proposed to contribute to the body of knowledge.