The Cox, Ross, and Rubinstein binomial model is generalized to the multinomial case. Limits are investigated and shown to yield the Blacks-Scholes formula in the case of continuous sample paths for formula in the case of complete market structures. In the discontinuous case a Merton-type formula...

This paper characterizes performance measures satisfying a set of proposed axioms. We develop four new measures consistent with the axioms and show that they improve on the economic properties of the Sharpe Ratio and the Gain-Loss Ratio. In our treatment, the performance measures, or the indexes...

This article provides several new insights into the economic sources of skewness. First, we document the differential pricing of individual equity options versus the market index and relate it to variations in return skewness. Second, we show how risk aversion introduces skewness in the...

Marketing costs are introduced into the security design environment outlined in Allen and Gale (1988). It is shown that splitting the firm's cash flow between products enhances their investor appeal and reduces marketing costs. We also explain how the extremal product design in Allen and Gale is...

A simple introduction to contingent claim valuation of risky assets in a discrete time, stochastic interest-rate economy is provided. Taking the term structure of interest rates as exogenous, closed-form solutions are derived for European options written on (1) Treasury bills, (2) interest-rate...