Constructing stock portfolios using the DEA method in the Russian stock market under conditions of increased volatility
https://doi.org/10.55959/MSU0130-0105-6-60-3-3
Abstract
Periods of high market volatility put investors in a situation where conventional decisionmaking methods are less reliable. To improve returns, market participants need to understand which factors play a big role in portfolio formation. This article analyzes the determinants of Russian stock returns during the Covid-19 and the rise in geopolitical tension in 2022. The objective of the study is to identify common determinants of returns on individual stocks in an environment of increased volatility in order to formulate recommendations for investors on capital allocation. The study is carried out in the last two periods of increased volatility in the Russian stock market using quote data and fundamental financial indicators of company valuation. It was found that return on assets (ROA) and stock return for the previous calendar year have a significant positive impact on securities returns during both periods of market uncertainty. Based on these indicators, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method was used to form an assessment of company's performance and build stock portfolios. Portfolios of the best DEA-ranking companies significantly outperformed portfolios of the worst and the benchmark. The portfolio of the best stocks outperformed the portfolio of the worst DEA-ranking stocks by 12.50% during the Covid-19 pandemic and by 31.45% during the 2022 geopolitical. The findings have high practical value for investors, as they allow capital to be allocated to more promising stocks during the periods of market stress.
About the Authors
S. A. RechmedinaRussian Federation
Moscow
A. Haniev
Russian Federation
Moscow
V. V. Suhih
Russian Federation
Moscow
References
1. Afik, Z., Cohen, T. R., & Lahav, Y. (2022). Getting high on cannabis stock returns: An event study. Finance Research Letters, 46, 102226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.frl.2021.102226
2. Afsharian, M., Ahn, H., & Kamali, S. (2022). Performance analytics in incentive regulation: A literature review of DEA publications. Decision Analytics Journal, 4, 100079. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dajour.2022.100079
3. Anwar, S., Singh, S., & Jain, P. K. (2015). Cash dividend announcements and stock return volatility: Evidence from India. Procedia Economics and Finance, 30, 38–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2212-5671(15)01253-8
4. Bae, K. H., El Ghoul, S., Gong, Z. J., & Guedhami, O. (2021). Does CSR matter in times of crisis? Evidence from the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Corporate Finance, 67, 101876. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2020.101876
5. Bakry, W., Kavalmthara, P. J., Saverimuttu, V., Liu, Y., & Cyril, S. (2022). Response of stock market volatility to COVID-19 announcements and stringency measures: A comparison of developed and emerging markets. Finance Research Letters, 46, 102350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.frl.2021.102350
6. Charnes, A., Cooper, W. W., & Rhodes, E. (1978). A data envelopment analysis approach to evaluation of the program follow through experiment in US public school education (pp. 1–64). Management Sciences Research Group, Graduate School of Industrial Administration, Carnegie-Mellon University.
7. Fahlenbrach, R., Rageth, K., & Stulz, R. M. (2021). How valuable is fi nancial fl exibility when revenue stops? Evidence from the COVID-19 crisis. The Review of Financial Studies, 34(11), 5474–5521. https://doi.org/10.1093/rfs/hhaa134
8. Gevorgyan, A. A., & Mishenin, M. V. (2019). Features of the capital structure of oil and gas companies. *Interexpo Geo-Siberia, 2*(5), 266–272.
9. Kaczmarek, T., Perez, K., Demir, E., & Zaremba, A. (2021). How to survive a pandemic: The corporate resiliency of travel and leisure companies to the COVID-19 outbreak. Tourism Management, 84, 104281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2020.104281
10. Ma, F., Lu, F., & Tao, Y. (2022). Geopolitical risk and excess stock returns predictability: New evidence from a century of data. Finance Research Letters, 50, 103211. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.frl.2022.103211
11. Mu, S., Huang, G., Li, P., & Hou, Y. (2022). A study on volatility spillovers among international stock markets during the Russia-Ukraine confl ict. Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society, 2022, Article 4948444. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/4948444
12. Neukirchen, D., Engelhardt, N., Krause, M., & Posch, P. N. (2022). Firm effi ciency and stock returns during the COVID-19 crisis. Finance Research Letters, 44, 102037. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.frl.2021.102037
13. Omrani, H., Yang, Z., Karbasian, A., & Teplova, T. (2023). Combination of top-down and bottom-up DEA models using PCA: A two-stage network DEA with shared input and undesirable output for evaluation of the road transport sector. *Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, 101706*. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seps.2023.101706
14. Rigobon, R., & Sack, B. (2005). The eff ects of war risk on US fi nancial markets. Journal of Banking & Finance, 29(7), 1769–1789. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbankfin.2004.06.040
15. Salisu, A. A., Ogbonna, A. E., Lasisi, L., & Olaniran, A. (2022). Geopolitical risk and stock market volatility in emerging markets: A GARCH–MIDAS approach. The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, 62, 101755. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.najef.2022.101755
16. Shemetov, V. V. (2024). Cumulative eff ect of debt and tax on fi rm value: Optimal capital structure theories in the light of EMM. Management, 12(5), 255–276. https://doi.org/10.17265/2328-2185/2024.05.001
17. Teplova, T. V., & Sokolova, T. V. (2017). Nonparametric shell analysis method for portfolio constructions in the Russian bond market. Economics and Mathematical Methods (EMM), 53(3), 110–128.
18. Topcu, M., & Gulal, O. S. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 on emerging stock markets. Finance Research Letters, 36, 101691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.frl.2020.101691
19. Wielgórka, D. (2024). Analysis of the eff ectiveness of technological KM tools in the SME sector using the DEA model. European Conference on Knowledge Management, 25, 902– 909. https://doi.org/10.34190/eckm.25.1.2390
20. Xu, N., Chen, J., Zhou, F., Dong, Q., & He, Z. (2023). Corporate ESG and resilience of stock prices in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in China. *Pacifi c-Basin Finance Journal, 79*, 102040. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pacfin.2023.102040
21. Yang, Y., Li, L., & Jiang, J. (2022). The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on emerging country stock markets: Evidence of the value eff ect. Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, 58(1), 70–81. https://doi.org/10.1080/1540496X.2021.1973423
22. Yuan, D., Zhang, F., Cui, F., & Wang, S. (2021). Oil and BRIC stock markets before and after COVID-19: A local Gaussian correlation approach. Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, 57(6), 1592–1602. https://doi.org/10.1080/1540496X.2021.1904886
Supplementary files
Review
For citations:
Rechmedina S.A., Haniev A., Suhih V.V. Constructing stock portfolios using the DEA method in the Russian stock market under conditions of increased volatility. Moscow University Economics Bulletin. 2025;(3):40-62. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.55959/MSU0130-0105-6-60-3-3