Post-Earnings Reversal Strategy on Optionable US Stocks with Two-Day Holding

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Edit and run Quant Buffet Python for Post-Earnings Reversal Strategy on Optionable US Stocks with Two-Day Holding in the browser. Results update live with equity, drawdown, and metrics charts. Allowed: backtest.data, backtest.engine, backtest.metrics, numpy, pandas. Define ASSETS and make_on_day(prices). Shortcut: Ctrl+Enter. API docs →

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IDE · 44 lines
Quant Buffet syntax cheat sheet (copy / insert)

Paste these fragments into the editor. The sandbox rejects QuantConnect, os, and network libraries.

Required imports
Only these libraries are allowed in the sandbox.
from __future__ import annotations

import numpy as np
import pandas as pd

from backtest.data import load_daily_prices
from backtest.engine import EngineConfig, PortfolioEngine
from backtest.metrics import compute_metrics
ASSETS list (whitelisted ETFs)
Module-level list. Tickers must be in the Quant Buffet whitelist.
ASSETS = ["SPY", "QQQ", "TLT", "GLD", "BIL"]
make_on_day contract
Must return (on_day, ready). on_day calls engine.set_target_weights.
def make_on_day(prices: pd.DataFrame):
    cols = [c for c in ASSETS if c in prices.columns]
    sma = prices[cols].rolling(200, min_periods=200).mean()
    state = {"last": None}

    def on_day(engine: PortfolioEngine, dt: pd.Timestamp) -> None:
        if sma.loc[dt].isna().all():
            return
        key = (dt.year, dt.month)
        if state["last"] == key:
            return
        state["last"] = key
        long = [
            s for s in cols
            if pd.notna(prices.at[dt, s]) and pd.notna(sma.at[dt, s])
            and prices.at[dt, s] > sma.at[dt, s]
        ]
        weights = {} if not long else {s: 1.0 / len(long) for s in long}
        engine.set_target_weights(dt, weights)

    ready = sma.dropna(how="all").index.min() if sma.notna().any().any() else None
    return on_day, ready
Set target weights
Weights should sum to about 1.0. Empty dict = 100% cash.
engine.set_target_weights(dt, {"SPY": 0.60, "BIL": 0.40})

Live backtest performance

CAGR
1.44%
Sharpe
0.17
Max DD
-36.97%
Vol
14.04%
Sortino
0.26
Beta
0.55

Run the backtest to populate charts.

Export to your platform

Transform Quant Buffet lab code (ASSETS + make_on_day / PortfolioEngine) into native classes for a third-party IDE — then copy and paste.

Run in: QuantConnect Cloud or LEAN CLI · QCAlgorithm with Equity securities and monthly rebalance.

Detected pattern: Mean reversionAssets: SPY, TLT, GLD, BIL
# Generated from Quant Buffet → QuantConnect LEAN
# Strategy: Post-Earnings Reversal Strategy on Optionable US Stocks with Two-Day Holding
# Detected pattern: Mean reversion
# Source uses Quant Buffet lab APIs (ASSETS + make_on_day / PortfolioEngine).
# Review fees, data, and risk before live trading — educational export only.

from AlgorithmImports import *


class QuantBuffetExport(QCAlgorithm):
    def Initialize(self):
        self.SetStartDate(2010, 1, 1)
        self.SetCash(100000)
        tickers = ["SPY", "TLT", "GLD", "BIL"]
        self.symbols = []
        for t in tickers:
            if "-" in t:  # crypto proxy e.g. BTC-USD
                self.symbols.append(self.AddCrypto(t.replace("-USD", ""), Resolution.Daily).Symbol)
            else:
                self.symbols.append(self.AddEquity(t, Resolution.Daily).Symbol)
        self.Schedule.On(
            self.DateRules.MonthStart(self.symbols[0]),
            self.TimeRules.AfterMarketOpen(self.symbols[0], 30),
            self.Rebalance,
        )
        # Logic: Buy when return z-score < -1 over 20 days.

    def Rebalance(self):
        import numpy as np
        picks = []
        for symbol in self.symbols:
            hist = self.History(symbol, 20 + 5, Resolution.Daily)
            if hist.empty: continue
            close = hist["close"]
            if hasattr(close, "unstack"):
                close = close.unstack(level=0).iloc[:, 0]
            rets = close.pct_change().dropna()
            if len(rets) < 20: continue
            window = rets.iloc[-20:]
            z = (window.iloc[-1] - window.mean()) / (window.std() or 1e-9)
            if z < -1:
                picks.append(symbol)
        w = 1.0 / len(picks) if picks else 0.0
        for symbol in self.symbols:
            self.SetHoldings(symbol, w if symbol in picks else 0.0)

Exported code uses the platform’s native classes and libraries. Install dependencies in your third-party IDE, then run. Validate before live trading.

Academic paper

Strategy in a nutshell

Investors focus on NYSE, AMEX, and NASDAQ stocks, especially large-caps with an active options market, choosing daily those announcing earnings the next day. They evaluate stocks based on their performance during the last earnings release. The strategy involves going long on the decile with the poorest past earnings performance and shorting those with the best. Positions are maintained for two days, with an equal weight across the portfolio. This approach aims to capitalize on the anticipated reversal of stocks' abnormal reactions to earnings announcements.

Economic rationale

The academic paper suggests that investors, historically known for underreacting to earnings news, may now be overreacting to such announcements. Traditionally, the literature on post-earnings announcement drift (PEAD) primarily investigates quarterly portfolio returns. In contrast, this paper zeroes in on returns over a two-day period. This difference in focus raises the possibility that PEAD remains valid, with both underreaction and overreaction to earnings news coexisting as separate phenomena. The implication is that while short-term reactions might exhibit overreaction, the longer-term PEAD effect, characterized by a gradual adjustment of stock prices to earnings news, could still be at play.

Backtest performance

Annualised return1.44%
Volatility14.04%
Beta0.55
Sharpe ratio0.17
Sortino ratio0.26
Maximum drawdown-36.97%