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Working Paper
Insurers’ Investments and Insurance Prices
We develop a theory that connects insurance prices, insurance companies’ investment behavior, and equilibrium asset prices. Consistent with the model’s predictions, we show empirically that (1) insurers with more stable insurance funding take more investment risk and, therefore, earn higher average investment returns; (2) insurers set lower prices on policies when expected investment returns are higher, both in the cross-section of insurance companies and in the time series. Our results hold for both life insurance and property and casualty insurance companies. The findings show that ...
Discussion Paper
Are Stocks Pricing in Recession Risks? Evidence from Dividend Futures
Since the beginning of this year, broad equity price indexes around the world have declined significantly. In interpreting the declines, market commentaries have highlighted the risks to the economic outlook in the United States and other advanced economies.
Working Paper
A Stock Return Decomposition Using Observables
We propose a method to decompose stock returns period by period. First, we argue that one can directly estimate expected stock returns from securities available in modern financial markets (using the real yield curve and the Martin (2017) equity risk premium). Second, we derive a return decomposition which is based on stock price elasticities with respect to expected returns and expected dividends. We calculate elasticities from dividend futures. Our decomposition is an alternative to the Campbell-Shiller log-linearization which relies on an assumption about the log-linearization constant. An ...
Working Paper
A Stock Return Decomposition Using Observables
We propose a new method for decomposing realized stock market capital gains into contributions from changes to the real yield curve, equity premia, and expected dividends. The method centers on changes to observable inputs of the present value formula and requires no regressions or log-linearization. In S&P500 data for 2005-2023, changes to expected dividends dominated the cumulative capital gain. Changes to the real yield curve and equity premia contributed more to capital gain fluctuations. A mix of higher equity premia and lower expected earnings drove the 2008 and 2020 market declines, ...
Working Paper
Stagflationary Stock Returns
We study investors’ perceptions of inflation through the lens of a high-frequency event study, documenting they have a stagflationary view of the world. In response to higher-than-expected inflation, investors expect firms’ nominal cash flows to remain stagnant while discount rates increase, resulting in lower stock prices. Both the equity risk premium and nominal risk-free yields rise, but longer-term real yields remain unchanged. Consistent with investors interpreting inflation as a cost shock, investors expect firms with low market power to suffer larger declines in cash flows. Cash ...