Inference on common parameters in panel data models with individual-specific fixed effects is a classic example of Neyman and Scott's (Econometrica 36:1-32, 1948) incidental parameter problem (IPP). One solution to this IPP is functional differencing (Bonhomme in Econometrica 80(4):1337-1385,...

This paper develops a simple technique that controls for false discoveries, or mutual funds that exhibit significant alphas by luck alone. Our approach precisely separates funds into (1) unskilled, (2) zero-alpha, and (3) skilled funds, even with dependencies in cross-fund estimated alphas. We...