I construct a neoclassical, Q-theoretical foundation for time-varying expected returns in connection with corporate policies and events. Under certain conditions, stock return equals investment return, which is directly tied with firm characteristics. This single equation is shown analytically...

"Momentum is consistent with value maximization of firms. The neoclassical theory of investment implies that expected stock returns are connected with expected marginal benefits of investment divided by marginal costs of investment. Winners have higher expected growth and expected marginal...

More financially constrained firms are riskier and earn higher expected returns than less financially constrained firms, although this effect can be subsumed by size and book-to-market. Further, because the stochastic discount factor makes capital investment more procyclical, financial...