Anchor Reversion: The Case of the 52-Week High and Asset Prices

This study attempts to jointly identify the effects of anchoring and mean reversion on asset prices. In particular, we define "anchor reversion" as the tendency for stock prices to revert back toward an anchor, for example, the 52-week high. Our results show that the further a stock moves away from its 52-week high, the more likely it is to revert back toward that 52-week high in the following month. Conversely, if a stock moves toward its 52-week high in a given month, it is less likely to experience a large movement toward that 52-week high in the following month. Portfolios constructed according to a long-short anchor reversion strategy result in future returns that range from 1.40% to 1.62% per month. These results are robust to controls for various risk factors as well as several cross-sectional stock characteristics, such as the monthly reversal phenomena.