In this paper, we formally show that the cross-sectional variance of stock returns is a consistent and asymptotically efficient estimator for aggregate idiosyncratic volatility. This measure has two key advantages: it is model-free and observable at any frequency. Previous approaches have used...

Executive compensation packages are often valued in an inconsistent manner: while employee stock options (ESOs) are typically valued ex-ante, cash bonuses are valued ex-post. This renders the existing valuation models of employee compensation packages theoretically unsatisfactory and,...

Whether idiosyncratic volatility has increased over time and whether it is a good predictor of future returns is a matter of active debate. We show formally through central limit arguments that there is a direct relationship between the dynamics of the cross-sectional variance of realized...

While it is often argued that allocation decisions can be best expressed in terms of exposure to rewarded risk factors, as opposed to somewhat arbitrary asset class decompositions, the practical implications of this paradigm shift for the optimal design of the policy portfolio still remain...

In this paper, we formally show that the cross-sectional variance of stock returns is a consistent and asymptotically efficient estimator for aggregate idiosyncratic volatility. This measure has two key advantages: it is model-free and observable at any frequency. Previous approaches have used...

An investment horizon is in practice not frequently known with certainty at the initial investment date. This paper addresses the problem of pricing and hedging a random cash-flow received at a random date in a general stochastic environment. We first argue that specific timing risk is induced...

While there has been a significant amount of research on the predictability of traditional asset classes, very little is known about the predictability of returns emanating from alternative vehicles such as hedge funds. This is perhaps surprising, given that significant attempts at structuring...

This paper attempts to evaluate the out-of-sample performance of an improved estimator of the covariance structure of hedge fund index returns, focusing on its use for optimal portfolio selection. Using data from CSFB-Tremont hedge fund indices, we find that ex-post volatility of minimum...

While there are now a number of empirical studies on the subject, very little is known on the market price for default risk from a theoretical perspective. This paper is a first step in the direction of an equilibrium model for the pricing of defaultable securities in an incomplete market setup....

Executive compensation packages are often valued in an inconsistent manner: while employee stock options (ESOs) are typically valued ex-ante, i.e., before uncertainties are resolved, cash bonuses are valued ex-post, i.e., by discounting the realized cash grants. Such a lack of consistency can,...