We put forward a general equilibrium model that links the cross-section variation of expected returns to firms’ life cycle dynamics. In the model all assets have the same exposure to short-run consumption risks, but di¤er in their exposure to long-run consumption risks (Bansal and Yaron...

We present a general equilibrium-mechanism design model with two-sided limited commitment that accounts for the observed heterogeneity in firms' investment, payout and CEO-compensation policies. In the model, shareholders cannot commit to holding negative net present value projects, and managers...

We develop a firm-dynamics model with moral hazard, which arises because some productivity shocks are privately observed by firm managers only. We characterize the optimal contract and its implications for firm size, growth, and managerial pay-performance sensitivity, which allow us toquantify...