Entry costs and stock market participation over the life cycle

Several explanations for the observed limited stock market participation have been offered in the literature. One of the most promising is the presence of market frictions mostly in the form of fixed entry and/or transaction costs. Empirical studies point to a significant structural (state) dependence in the stock market entry decision, which is consistent with costs of this type. However, the magnitude of these costs is not yet known. This paper focuses on fixed stock market entry costs. I set up a structural estimation procedure which involves solving and simulating a life cycle intertemporal portfolio choice model augmented with a fixed stock market entry cost. Important features of household portfolio data (from the PSID) are matched to their simulated counterparts. Utilizing a Simulated Minimum Distance estimator, I estimate the coefficient of relative risk aversion, the discount factor and the stock market entry cost. Given the equity premium and the calibrated income process, I estimate a one-time entry cost of approximately two percent of the permanent component of the annual labor income. My estimated model matches the zero median holding as well as the hump-shaped age–participation profile observed in the data.     

Entry and exit in Dutch manufacturing industries

The purpose of this paper is to analyse entry and exit of establishments in 71 3-digit industries in Dutch manufacturing between 1986 and 1990. A distinction is made between existing firm entry and new firm entry and between general exit and exit by bankruptcy. The incentive effect of profitability and the barrier effect of capital intensity and advertising intensity appear to be stronger for new firm entry than for existing firm entry. Growth and capital intensity turn out to reduce exit by bankruptcy, whereas R&D intensity reduces general exit. The positive impact of general exit on new firm entry and vice versa points to replacement and displacement.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the 21st annual EARIE conference, Crete, Greece, September 4–6, 1994. We thank David Audretsch, Martin Carree, Roy Thurik and participants of the conference for valuable comments.     

An Exploration of the Conditional Timing Performance of UK Unit Trusts

Abstract:  We examine the conditional market timing performance of UK unit trusts between January 1988 and December 2002. We find no evidence of superior conditional market timing performance by UK unit trusts either across different portfolios of trusts or by individual trusts. We also find that benchmark investing is significant for UK unit trusts and trusts have high numerical risk aversion to deviations from the benchmark. Our findings suggest that UK trusts act like benchmark investors.     

On the relation between the market-to-book ratio, growth opportunity, and leverage ratio

The negative relation between the market-to-book ratio and leverage ratio is one of the most widely documented empirical regularities in the capital structure literature. Most related studies take this negative relation as given and debate about its economic interpretation. We show that firms with higher market-to-book ratios face lower debt financing costs and borrow more. The relation between the market-to-book ratio and leverage ratio is not monotonic and is positive for most firms (more than 88% of COMPUSTAT firms and more than 95% of total market capitalization). The previously documented negative relation is driven by a subset of firms with high market-to-book ratios.     

Order of entry and performance in international markets

The inter-market and intra-market orders of entry and their performance consequences are examined for an industrial product. First entrants consist typically of both multinational and local firms, while early followers are multinational firms, and later entrants are smaller, local firms. A strong order of entry-market share relationship is observed in international markets. First entrants and later entrants outsurvive early followers. The analysis reveals a strategy for achieving both first-entry into many markets and dominance within those markets. Simultaneous entry into multiple markets occurs infrequently and in mature stages of the product life-cycle.     

Does IMF Support Accelerate Inflation Stabilization?

This paper analyzes the effects of International Monetary Fund (IMF) arrangements on the timing of inflation stabilization programs. By providing financial support that may allow the reduction of inflation without incurring politically unacceptable economic costs, the IMF can hasten stabilization. But, since support can also reduce the costs of inflation, it may instead delay it. Empirical results obtained for 10 countries that suffered from chronic inflation fail to support the hypothesis that IMF financial assistance accelerates stabilization. Rather, they indicate that other factors have a greater impact on the timing of stabilizations: greater fragmentation of the political system delays stabilization, while a higher level of inflation hastens it. JEL Classification Numbers: E63, E31, F35     

The predictability of real estate returns and market timing

Recent evidence suggests that all asset returns are predictable to some extent with excess returns on real estate relatively easier to forecast. This raises the issue of whether we can successfully exploit this level of predictability using various market timing strategies to realize superior performance over a buy-and-hold strategy. We find that the level of predicability associated with real estate leads to moderate success in market timing, although this is not necessarily the case for the other asset classes examined in general. Besides this, real estate stocks typically have higher trading profits and higher mean risk-adjusted excess returns when compared to small stocks as well as large stocks and bonds even though most real estate stocks are small stocks.     

审计师变更、时机选择与投资者评价

文章从投资者评价的角度对我国证券市场中审计师变更事件的经济后果进行考察。研究发现,在我国证券审计市场中,审计师变更事件具有显著为正的市场反应;市场总体正的累计超额回报主要是由晚变更样本的公告信息引起,晚变更公司在变更公告日附近的累计超额回报为正,并且显著大于早变更的公司;总体来看,审计师变更会显著降低公司的财务盈利可信度,并且在审计师变更以后,晚变更公司盈利可信度的下降程度显著大于早变更的公司。     

叠加共轭对称训练序列的OFDM系统时频同步方法

针对正交频分复用（OFDM）系统对同步错误率和频率偏移敏感的问题,提出了一种叠加共轭对称训练序列的OFDM系统时间和频率同步方法。该同步方法将快速傅里叶逆变换（IFFT）调制后的序列构成具有共轭对称特性的训练序列,并叠加到OFDM数据符号上;在接收端,利用叠加训练序列和融合循环前缀信息来获取OFDM系统同步信息。理论分析和仿真表明：在信噪比为5 dB时,该同步算法定时同步正确概率已接近100%;在信噪比为4 dB时,频偏估计精度可以达到10-4;该同步算法不仅具有更好的同步性能,而且节省系统的有效带宽以及降低系统的计算法复杂度。     

市场择时理论的中国适用性--基于1998～2003年上市公司的实证分析

自2002年Baker和Murgler明确提出市场择时理论以来,传统资本结构理论的解释力度受到一定程度的质疑,国外学者围绕这一新兴的资本结构理论展开激烈的争论.文章运用1998年1月1日～2003年12月31日间中国沪深两市IPO公司财务数据试图第一次较为全面地检验市场择时理论在中国的适用性.实证结果表明在样本期内中国上市公司确实存在着股票融资和债务融资的市场择时行为;债务融资的市场择时行为并不显著影响中国上市公司的资本结构,而股票融资的市场择时行为短期内显著影响公司的资本结构;股票融资的市场择时行为不具有持久影响资本结构的效应,总的说来,市场择时理论并不适用于中国的上市公司.