We analyze if the value-weighted stock market portfolio is second-order stochastic dominance (SSD) efficient relative to benchmark portfolios formed on market capitalization, book-to-market equity ratio and industry classification. During the period from the mid-1970s to the late 1980s, the...

We propose a new test of the stochastic dominance efficiency of a given portfolio over a class of portfolios. We establish its null and alternative asymptotic properties, and define a method for consistently estimating critical values. We present some numerical evidence that our tests work well...

This study proposes a test for mean-variance efficiency of a given portfolio under general linear investment restrictions. We introduce a new definition of pricing error or “alpha” and as an efficiency measure we propose to use the largest positive alpha for any vertex of the portfolio...

We derive empirical tests for stochastic dominance that allow for diversification between choice alternatives. The tests can be computed using straightforward linear programming. Bootstrapping techniques and asymptotic distribution theory can approximate the sampling properties of the test...

We investigate whether risk seeking or non-concave utility functions can help to explain the cross-sectional pattern of stock returns. For this purpose, we analyze the stochastic dominance efficiency classification of the value-weighted market portfolio relative to benchmark portfolios based on...

FIRST-ORDER STOCHASTIC DOMINANCE (FSD) is one of the fundamental concepts of decision making under uncertainty, relying only on the assumption of nonsatiation, or decision makers preferring more to less. There exist well-known, simple algorithms for establishing FSD relationships between a pair...

Downside risk, when properly defined and estimated, helps to explain the cross-section of US stock returns. Sorting stocks by a proper estimate of downside market beta leads to a substantially larger cross-sectional spread in average returns than sorting on regular market beta. This result...

We propose linear programming tests for spanning and intersection based on stochastic dominance rather than mean-variance analysis. An empirical application investigates the diversification benefits to US investors from emerging equity markets.

We survey the methodological advances in DEA over the last 25 years and discuss the necessary conditions for a sound empirical application. We hope this survey will contribute to the further dissemination of DEA, the knowledge of its relative strengths and weaknesses, and the tools currently...

Empirically, co-skewness of asset returns seems to explain a substantial part of the cross-sectional variation of mean return not explained by beta. Thisfinding is typically interpreted in terms of a risk averse representativeinvestor with a cubic utility function. This comment questions...