Do stock prices influence corporate decisions? Evidence from the technology bubble

Abstract

We investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic affected CFOs’ self-assessed uncertainty about revenue growth and its impact on investment and hiring plans, using data from two consecutive surveys of the same CFOs conducted before and during the pandemic. Following the WHO's declaration, firm-level uncertainty increased, and investment plans were restrained. Furthermore, heightened firm-level uncertainty dampened firms' investment and hiring plans, even after controlling for other pandemic-related factors, as well as financial and investment flexibility.