Mean-variance efficient portfolios constructed using sample moments often involve taking extreme long and short positions. Hence practitioners often impose portfolio weight constraints when constructing efficient portfolios. Green and Hollifield (1992) argue that the presence of a single...

We develop a jackknife estimator for the conditional variance of a minimum-tracking- error-variance portfolio constructed using estimated covariances. We empirically evaluate the performance of our estimator using an optimal portfolio of 200 stocks that has the lowest tracking error with respect...

Green and Hollifield (1992) argue that the presence of a dominant factor would result in extreme negative weights in mean-variance efficient portfolios even in the absence of estimation errors. In that case, imposing no-short-sale constraints should hurt, whereas empirical evidence is often to...

We develop a jackknife estimator for the conditional variance of a minimum tracking error variance portfolio constructed using estimated covariances. We empirically evaluate the performance of our estimator using an optimal portfolio of 200 stocks that has the lowest tracking error with respect...

We find that cash holdings are more valuable for firms disclosing material weaknesses in the Sarbanes–Oxley (SOX) 404 internal control assessments. We estimate that the value spread for firms with weak controls vs. effective controls is about $0.25 for an extra dollar of cash. Our results are...

Unlike the NYSE, the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) does not adjust prices in the outstanding limit orders on ex-dividend days. We find that TSX ex-day stock price behavior differs from that on the NYSE in several key aspects. In each case, the TSX ex-day behavior is consistent with the lack of a...

In this article we test an alternative to the tax-based explanation for why prices decline on ex-dividend days by an amount less than the dividend. We examine whether there is order imbalance on cum- and ex-dividend days. We find that on ex-dividend days, there are more buys than sells in the...