Investment strategy using Adjusted ESG rating: Focusing on a Korean Market

Purpose: This study used ESG grade, but defined AESG, adjusted to the size of a company and examines whether it can be used as an investment strategy. Research design, data and methodology: The analysis sample in this study is a company that has given an ESG rating among companies listed on the Korea Stock Exchange. We examine the results through portfolio analysis and Fama-macbeth regression analysis. Results: As result of examining the long-only performance and the long-short performance by constructing quintile portfolios, it was observed that a significant positive return was shown. It was observed that there was an alpha that could not be explained in asset pricing models. Also, AESG had a return prediction effect in the result of a Fama-Macbeth regression that controlled corporate characteristic variables in individual stocks. Next, we confirmed AESG’s usage through various portfolio composition. In the portfolio optimization, the Risk Efficient method was the most superior in terms of sharpe ratio and the construct multi-factor model with Value, Momentum and Low Vol showed statistically significant performance improvement. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that it can be helpful in ESG investment to reflect the ESG rating of relatively small companies more through the scale adjustment of the ESG rating (i.e.AESG).