The Relation Between Expected Returns, Realized Returns, and Firm Risk Characteristics*

47 Pages Posted: 12 Jun 2009 Last revised: 30 Nov 2011

See all articles by Christine Botosan

Christine Botosan

Financial Accounting Standards Board

Marlene Plumlee

University of Utah - School of Accounting

Jennifer Chen

University of Missouri-St. Louis

Date Written: March 1, 2010

Abstract

Existing literature employs two approaches to assess the validity of alternative proxies for firm-specific cost of equity capital (Et-1(rt)). One approach relies on the expected link between future realized returns and Et-1(rt), while the second approach relies on the expected relation between Et-1(rt) and firm-specific priced risk characteristics. The results of these two streams of literature are mixed with the first (second) approach providing no (strong) support for the construct validity of any (some) of the Et-1(rt) proxies examined. In this paper, we resolve the conflict between these two streams of research. In contrast to prior research, we document a strong positive association between the implied cost of capital estimates and future realized returns. We demonstrate that the negative or insignificant association between implied cost of capital estimates and future realized returns documented in prior research is due to empirical misspecification. Moreover, we show that although most of the estimates we examine are positively associated with future realized returns, only two, rDIV and rPEG, are also predictably related to firm-specific risk. Taken together our results suggest that rDIV and rPEG provide superior proxies for Et-1(rt).

Keywords: Expected return, cost of equity capital, risk premium, cash flow news,realized returns

JEL Classification: G12, M40, M41, M46, G31

Suggested Citation

Botosan, Christine and Plumlee, Marlene A. and Chen, Jennifer, The Relation Between Expected Returns, Realized Returns, and Firm Risk Characteristics* (March 1, 2010). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1410110 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1410110

Christine Botosan

Financial Accounting Standards Board ( email )

401 Merritt 7
PO Box 5116
Norwalk, CT 06856
United States

Marlene A. Plumlee (Contact Author)

University of Utah - School of Accounting ( email )

1645 E Campus Center Dr
Salt Lake City, UT 84112-9303
United States

Jennifer Chen

University of Missouri-St. Louis ( email )

1 University Blvd.
St Louis, MO 63121
United States
314-516-7187 (Phone)

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