Abstract: | This study examines the market reaction to listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The marketability gains hypothesis states that investors expect liquidity gains for the less liquid over-the-counter (OTC) stocks but not for their liquid counterparts after their listing on the NYSE. The hypothesis is supported even after accounting for other firm-specific news releases. Stocks with low liquidity on the OTC exhibit a positive reaction, whereas stocks with high liquidity show a non-positive market reaction around the announcement of the listing application. The findings imply that the two different marketplaces, NYSE and OTC, are suitable for stocks with different liquidity characteristics. |