We explore the dimensionality of stock returns in North America, Europe, Japan, Pacific, and Emerging Markets on the basis of 240 cross-sectional predictors. Our approach allows us to identify those predictors that are most consistently related to nonmicro-cap stock returns (i.e., independent of...

This study provides new insight into the recent debate on profitability and investment patterns in the cross-section of expected returns. Relying on implied risk premia of U.S. corporate bonds, we document a strong negative relation between exposure to the profitability factor and cost of debt....