We argue that active management's popularity is not puzzling despite the industry's poor track record. Our explanation features decreasing returns to scale: As the industry's size increases, every manager's ability to outperform passive benchmarks declines. The poor track record occurred before...

We examine the determinants and consequences of mutual fund managers simultaneously managing multiple funds. Well-performing managers multitask by taking over poorly performing funds or launching new funds. Subsequent to multitasking, funds run by managers prior to multitasking (i.e., incumbent...

We examine the determinants and consequences of the multitasking phenomenon in the mutual fund industry where fund managers simultaneously manage multiple funds. We show that wellperforming managers multitask either by taking over poorly performing funds within fund companies (i.e., acquired...

The derivation of the bi-variate Payoff Distribution model by Kat and Palaro (2005) represents an interesting contribution to the performance evaluation and asset pricing literature. Nonetheless, their approach for evaluating the function is significantly flawed. Recently, Papageorgiou et al....

In this study we consider two methods of returns based style analysis for classification of investment styles for a single asset class, US Diversified Equity Funds. We extend Sharpe's (1992) style Returns Based Style Analysis (RBSA) by forming style groups using cluster analysis and RBSA...

This paper studies the role of investors' optimism about future economic growth in their investment decisions. Based on simple intuition, we argue that investors base their future investment decisions not only on asset-specific information, but also on their expectations about future economic...

Traditional portfolio optimization models specify placement of capital as rather irrevocably and fully at risk through investment horizon(s) or continuously. Under this constraint, asset class allocation typically serves as primary mode of diversification, pursuing risk moderation by seeking to...

This study explores optimal portfolio management contracts in the context of ‘opaque' portfolios invested in illiquid or privately held assets. We identify shortcomings of linear contracts in this context and demonstrate that the second-best optimal contract features a convex component. The...

Risk parity is an asset allocation strategy designed so each asset class contributes equally to overall portfolio risk (as measured by volatility). While risk parity offers potential advantages, its success hinges on key assumptions and a favorable environment for bonds. Like the traditional...

Architect of the capital asset pricing model. Creator of the Sharpe ratio for investment performance analysis. One of the fathers of modern portfolio theory. Contributor to the binomial method for the valuation of options, the gradient method for asset allocation optimization, returns-based...