Does CSR Information Disclosure Improve Investment Efficiency? The Moderating Role of Analyst Attention

Since 2009, the China Securities Regulatory Commission has begun to require listed firms on the specified boards to disclose their corporate social responsibility and encouraged others to report corporate social responsibility voluntarily. Based on the data of domestic A-share listed companies from 2013 to 2019, this paper studies the relationship between corporate social responsibility information disclosure and corporate investment efficiency and the role of analysts in moderating the relationship. The empirical results show that the social responsibility information disclosed under China’s mandatory guidance has a positive effect on alleviating information asymmetry and improving investment efficiency, and this role becomes even more crucial when the external information environment fails to meet market demands. Overall, our findings suggest the important role of corporate social responsibility information disclosure in guiding investment behavior and improving investment efficiency, especially for those companies with low analyst attention. This article expands the research perspective on social responsibility information disclosure and investment efficiency. Furthermore, our research contributes to promoting corporate social responsibility and facilitating sustainable development.