ESG ratings and firm performance: The moderating role of ESG rating disagreement

We examine the impact of ESG rating disagreement on the relationship between ESG ratings and firm performance. We find that ESG ratings are negatively associated with firm performance. Moreover, ESG rating disagreement positively moderates the relationship between ESG ratings and firm performance, w...

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Main Authors: Chengcheng Liu, Qianhui Wu, Yu-En Lin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Borsa Istanbul Review
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214845025000699
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author Chengcheng Liu
Qianhui Wu
Yu-En Lin
author_facet Chengcheng Liu
Qianhui Wu
Yu-En Lin
author_sort Chengcheng Liu
collection DOAJ
description We examine the impact of ESG rating disagreement on the relationship between ESG ratings and firm performance. We find that ESG ratings are negatively associated with firm performance. Moreover, ESG rating disagreement positively moderates the relationship between ESG ratings and firm performance, weakening the negative impact of ESG ratings on firm performance. Furthermore, additional tests suggest that ESG rating disagreement plays a moderating role only for firms with better disclosure quality and worse corporate governance, greater environmental munificence and dynamism, smaller size, and greater social capital. Overall, our findings support agency theory and the resource-based view, highlighting the importance of rating consistency and the role of high ESG rating scores as an intangible resource that indicates agency problems. However, ESG rating disagreement also serves a governance function.
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series Borsa Istanbul Review
spelling doaj-art-b20d41c614f14e71bd55d1e0677450e62025-08-20T02:35:29ZengElsevierBorsa Istanbul Review2214-84502025-07-0125481682310.1016/j.bir.2025.05.001ESG ratings and firm performance: The moderating role of ESG rating disagreementChengcheng Liu0Qianhui Wu1Yu-En Lin2School of Business and Management, Jilin University, Changchun, ChinaBusiness School, Central South University, Changsha, ChinaCenter for Quantitative Economics, Jilin University, Changchun, China; International College, Krirk University, Bangkok, Thailand; Corresponding author. Center for Quantitative Economics of Jilin University, No.2699 Qianjin Street, Changchun City, China.We examine the impact of ESG rating disagreement on the relationship between ESG ratings and firm performance. We find that ESG ratings are negatively associated with firm performance. Moreover, ESG rating disagreement positively moderates the relationship between ESG ratings and firm performance, weakening the negative impact of ESG ratings on firm performance. Furthermore, additional tests suggest that ESG rating disagreement plays a moderating role only for firms with better disclosure quality and worse corporate governance, greater environmental munificence and dynamism, smaller size, and greater social capital. Overall, our findings support agency theory and the resource-based view, highlighting the importance of rating consistency and the role of high ESG rating scores as an intangible resource that indicates agency problems. However, ESG rating disagreement also serves a governance function.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214845025000699D22G34
spellingShingle Chengcheng Liu
Qianhui Wu
Yu-En Lin
ESG ratings and firm performance: The moderating role of ESG rating disagreement
Borsa Istanbul Review
D22
G34
title ESG ratings and firm performance: The moderating role of ESG rating disagreement
title_full ESG ratings and firm performance: The moderating role of ESG rating disagreement
title_fullStr ESG ratings and firm performance: The moderating role of ESG rating disagreement
title_full_unstemmed ESG ratings and firm performance: The moderating role of ESG rating disagreement
title_short ESG ratings and firm performance: The moderating role of ESG rating disagreement
title_sort esg ratings and firm performance the moderating role of esg rating disagreement
topic D22
G34
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214845025000699
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AT qianhuiwu esgratingsandfirmperformancethemoderatingroleofesgratingdisagreement
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