We use a fully-specified neoclassical model augmented with costly external equity as a laboratory to study the relations between stock returns and equity financing decisions. Simulations show that the model can simultaneously and in many cases quantitatively reproduce: procyclical equity issuance;...

The neoclassical q-theory is a good start to understand the cross section of returns. Under constant return to scale, stock returns equal levered investment returns that are tied directly with characteristics. This equation generates the relations of average returns with book-to-market,...

The cross section of returns can largely be summarized by the market factor and mimicking portfolios based on investment-to-assets and earnings-to-assets motivated from neoclassical reasoning. The neoclassical three-factor model can capture average return variations related to momentum and...