One could argue that the most discussed topic in finance is whether or not it is possible to “beat the market”. Even though many people claim to do this, there is little evidence to support the idea that one can consistently beat the market over a long period of time. There are indeed several examples of investors who have managed to outperform the market consistently for a long time, but the efforts of these individuals or institutions could by many be considered to be pure luck. One of the many strategies that have been evaluated by several researchers and is said to generate a risk adjusted return greater than that of the market, is one based on the P/E-effect. This strategy is based on the financial ratio P/E – price divided by earnings – and used by constructing portfolios consisting of stocks with low P/E ratios. Several studies have confirmed the existence of the P/E-effect on various stock markets around the world and over different time periods. On the Swedish market, however, few studies have generated the same results. Most of these studies can be considered to be insufficient with regards to sample sizes and methods, spawning a need for more extensive studies. We have examined the P/E strategy on the Swedish Stock Exchange (SSE) between 2004 and 2012. The sample included 358 companies (excluding financial companies) with available necessary data. The stocks were divided into five portfolios based on their yearly P/E ratios (low to high), upon which the monthly returns of the individual stocks were calculated using a logarithmic formula. The returns were also risk adjusted using the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), followed by a regression analysis to see if possible abnormal returns could be considered to be statistically significant for the examined time period. The results of our study indicate that the P/E effect is not present on the Swedish Stock Exchange during the examined time period, and we therefore conclude that it was not possible to utilize a strategy based on the P/E effect between 2004 and 2012 in order to achieve an abnormal return. The results can be used to argue that the Swedish stock market is more efficient than for example the U.S. stock market where the P/E effect has been found to exist.

The five essays in this dissertation are all concerned with how commodity price uncertainty affects the valuation of real and financial assets.  Focusing on the stochastic process approximating the price process of the commodity, a time-inhomogeneous mean reverting process is suggested and used in the valuation of a pulp mill.  Also an analytic approximation and a parameter estimation procedure to a stochastic volatility option-pricing model are developed.  Generally, the large valuation differences and hedging errors that occur for different assumptions about the price process indicate the importance of an appropriately specified price process.  The dissertation provides examples of this. The question of whether commodity prices are mean reverting or follow a random walk is also studied.  Using a large database with close to 300 different commodities, econometric tests favour a random walk.  There are very few exceptions.  However, when applied to an option pricing model, the time-inhomogeneous mean reverting process gives smaller hedging errors than the traditional Black-Scholes model based on a random walk.  The results are therefore inconclusive, although mean reversion seems more predominant than econometric tests reveal. / Diss. Stockholm : Handelshögskolan, 2003

This thesis presents a collection of papers that has been published, accepted or submitted for publication. They assess price, volatility and market relationships in the five regional electricity markets in the Australian National Electricity Market (NEM): namely, New South Wales (NSW), Queensland (QLD), South Australia (SA), the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme (SNO) and Victoria (VIC). The transmission networks that link regional systems via interconnectors across the eastern states have played an important role in the connection of the regional markets into an efficient national electricity market. During peak periods, the interconnectors become congested and the NEM separates into its regions, promoting price differences across the market and exacerbating reliability problems in regional utilities. This thesis is motivated in part by the fact that assessment of these prices and volatility within and between regional markets allows for better forecasts by electricity producers, transmitters and retailers and the efficient distribution of energy on a national level. The first two papers explore whether the lagged price and volatility information flows of the connected spot electricity markets can be used to forecast the pricing behaviour of individual markets. A multivariate generalised autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (MGARCH) model is used to identify the source and magnitude of price and volatility spillovers within (intra-relationship) and across (inter-relationship) the various spot markets. The results show evidence of the fact that prices in one market can be explained by their own price lagged one-period and are independent of lagged spot prices of any other markets when daily data is employed. This implies that the regional spot electricity markets are not fully integrated. However, there is also evidence of a large number of significant ownvolatility and cross-volatility spillovers in all five markets indicating that shocks in some markets will affect price volatility in others. Similar conclusions are obtained when the daily data are disaggregated into peak and off-peak periods, suggesting that the spot electricity markets are still rather isolated. These results inspired the research underlying the third paper of the thesis on modelling the dynamics of spot electricity prices in each regional market. A family of generalised autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (GARCH), RiskMetrics, normal Asymmetric Power ARCH (APARCH), Student APARCH and skewed Student APARCH is used to model the time-varying variance in prices with the inclusion of news arrival as proxied by the contemporaneous volume of demand, time-of-day, day-of-week and month-of-year effects as exogenous explanatory variables. The important contribution in this paper lies in the use of two latter methodologies, namely, the Student APARCH and skewed Student APARCH which take account of the skewness and fat tailed characteristics of the electricity spot price series. The results indicate significant innovation spillovers (ARCH effects) and volatility spillovers (GARCH effects) in the conditional standard deviation equation, even with market and calendar effects included. Intraday prices also exhibit significant asymmetric responses of volatility to the flow of information (that is, positive shocks or good news are associated with higher volatility than negative shocks or bad news). The fourth research paper attempts to capture salient feature of price hikes or spikes in wholesale electricity markets. The results show that electricity prices exhibit stronger mean-reversion after a price spike than the mean-reversion in the normal period, suggesting the electricity price quickly returns from some extreme position (such as a price spike) to equilibrium; this is, extreme price spikes are shortlived. Mean-reversion can be measured in a separate regime from the normal regime using Markov probability transition to identify the different regimes. The fifth and final paper investigates whether interstate/regional trade has enhanced the efficiency of each spot electricity market. Multiple variance ratio tests are used to determine if Australian spot electricity markets follow a random walk; that is, if they are informationally efficient. The results indicate that despite the presence of a national market only the Victorian market during the off-peak period is informationally (or market) efficient and follows a random walk. This thesis makes a significant contribution in estimating the volatility and the efficiency of the wholesale electricity prices by employing four advanced time series techniques that have not been previously explored in the Australian context. An understanding of the modelling and forecastability of electricity spot price volatility across and within the Australian spot markets is vital for generators, distributors and market regulators. Such an understanding influences the pricing of derivative contracts traded on the electricity markets and enables market participants to better manage their financial risks.

[pt] O Brasil tem mostrado bons resultados em suas atividades agropecuárias que vem sendo justificado por suas condições naturais propícias e ao advento da tecnologia agrícola. O agronegócio no Brasil já representa, aproximadamente, 33 por cento do Produto Interno Bruto do país (MAPA, 2007) e em se tratando da soja, o Brasil é o segundo maior produtor de soja do mundo, com 6,77 por cento das exportações totais do país (CONAB, 2007). Dentro do contexto de agronegócios, a atividade produtora da soja está sujeita a diversos riscos e incertezas como: condições climáticas, ciclo produtivo, produto altamente perecível e pragas, além das condições econômicas de mercado que influenciam diretamente no preço dessa commodity. Na tentativa de minimizar as incertezas e os riscos inerentes dessa atividade produtora é comum encontramos operações de hedge, como os contratos futuros ou a termo, associado às atividades de agronegócio. A lógica desses mecanismos de hedge consiste na proteção contra as possíveis variações no preço dos ativos até uma data definida. O bom funcionamento dessas operações depende de um aparato jurídico e metodológico confiável. Um aparato jurídico que possa garantir a liquidez da mercadoria dentro de padrões previamente definidos em contratos, e uma metodologia adequada que conduza, principalmente, a um preço confiável da commodity no futuro. Deste modo, o objetivo principal deste trabalho é analisar, a partir de uma série histórica, o comportamento dos preços da soja no mercado brasileiro e testar sua aderência ao processo de reversão à média com saltos, bem como testar os efeitos ARCH e GARCH na volatilidade deste processo. / [en] Brazil has shown good results in their agricultural activities, which is justified by its favorable natural conditions and the advent of agricultural technology. The agribusiness in Brazil already represents approximately 33 percent of Gross Domestic Product of the country (MAPA, 2007) and in the case of soybeans, Brazil is the second largest soybean producer in the world, with 6.77 percent of total exports of country (CONAB, 2007). Within the context of agribusiness, the activity of soybean production is subject to various risks and uncertainties such as climatic conditions, production cycle, product highly perishable and pests, and economic conditions of the market, which directly influence the price of that commodity. In an attempt to minimize the uncertainties and risks inherent in producing such activity is common to find hedging transactions such as futures contracts or term associated with the activities of agribusiness. The logic of these mechanisms is the hedge of protection against possible changes in the price of assets by a date set. The functioning of these operations depends on a reliable legal and methodological apparatus. A legal apparatus that can ensure the liquidity of the goods within predefined standards in contracts, and an appropriate methodology that will lead, especially at a price reliable commodity in the future. The purpose of this study is to analyze, from a historical series, the behavior of the prices of soybean in the Brazilian market, and test their adherence to the process of reversion to the mean with jumps as well as test the ARCH and GARCH effects in volatility of this process.

[pt] Devido à crescente utilização de fontes alternativas de energia, as do tipo renováveis têm se mostrado cada vez mais atraentes e viáveis. O etanol, oriundo da cana-de-açúcar, é considerado um combustível promissor e uma alternativa menos poluente que o petróleo nos dias de hoje. Além disso, o volume de produção de etanol no Brasil também tem crescido de forma consistente. Tendo em vista aos fatores supracitados, o estudo de quando a indústria maximiza lucros com a produção de etanol ou açúcar se faz importante.A escolha do modelo estocástico pode influenciar de forma determinante o valor da opção real avaliada. Sendo assim, na presente dissertação propõe-se modelar opções de conversão de acordo com o Movimento de Reversão à Média com saltos de Poisson. Será analisado o caso açúcar/etanol, ou melhor, quando será mais eficiente produzir açúcar (commodity alimentícia) ou etanol (commodity energética).Foi escolhido o Movimento de Reversão à Média com saltos de Poisson, pois apesar de os preços de commodities serem relativamente bem modelados pelo Movimento de Reversão à Média, o etanol e o açúcar sofrem variações bruscas em intervalos curtos de tempo. Essas variações se devem a agentes externos, tais como preço de petróleo e ações governamentais. Dependendo dos preços relativos de etanol e açúcar, há a possibilidade de alteração do mix de produção através da opção de conversão. Através da modelagem de opções citadas, e utilizando a simulação de Monte Carlo, esta dissertação determina o valor das opções disponíveis à indústria. / [en] Due to the increasing employment of alternative sources of energy, renewable type has been proved more and more attractive and viable. Ethanol, derived from sugar cane, in the present days is being considered a promising fuel and also a less polluting alternative to oil. In addition, the volume of ethanol production in Brazil has grown consistently. Given the above mentioned factors, the study of the moment when the industry maximizes profits from the production of ethanol or sugar becomes relevant. The choice of the stochastic model may have greater influence on the assessed value of real option. Thus, in this paper, we propose to model switch options in accordance with the Mean Reversion Process with Poisson jumps. Sugar/ethanol case will be analyzed, or rather, when it will be more efficient to produce sugar (food commodity) or ethanol (energy commodity). The Mean Reversion Process with Poisson jumps has been chosen, despite of commodity prices being relatively well modeled by the Mean Reversion Process, because ethanol and sugar suffer abrupt changes in short intervals. These variations are due to external agents, such as oil price and government actions. Depending on the relative prices of ethanol and sugar, there is a possibility of changing the mix of production through the switch option. Through modeling above mentioned options, and using the Monte Carlo simulation, this paper determines the value of the options available to the industry.

[pt] O presente trabalho tem como objetivo final a verificação da aplicabilidade da Teoria das Opções Reais (TOR) em investimentos de papel e celulose, considerando o Movimento de Reversão à Média (MRM) nos fatores de risco, dado um modelo de gerenciamento de curto prazo, no âmbito de um estudo de caso da Fibria Celulose S.A. para o setor de papel e celulose no Brasil. Nesta dissertação, testa-se a aderência da série histórica de preços da celulose de fibra curta da Fibria, no período entre 2003 e 2013, a um modelo estocástico de reversão à média, sendo este modelo validado para o presente estudo. Uma vez o modelo validado, determinam-se os parâmetros para realização de cálculos e análises fundamentais para se chegar aos objetivos intermediários, etapa preliminar aos resultados do objetivo final. Dentre os cálculos e análises citados, ressaltam-se: determinação dos VPLs dinâmicos e os valores das Opções Reais europeias sequenciais para a Simulação de Monte Carlo com Processo Neutro ao Risco; construção e análise da Árvore Binomial com Processo Neutro ao Risco; construção e análise das Regiões de Gatilho para preços e lucros marginais em um Processo Real; comparação das Regiões de Gatilho com as determinadas pelas Árvores Binomiais. Assim, com tais análises, confirma-se, nesta dissertação, a aplicabilidade da Teoria das Opções Reais na Análise de Investimento no setor celulósico-papeleiro. / [en] The present work has the ultimate purpose of verifying the applicability of the Real Options Theory in the pulp and paper investment, considering the Mean Reversion Movement in the risk factors, given a short-term management model, within a study of Fibria Celulose S.A. for the pulp and paper industry in Brazil. This dissertation tests the adherence of Fibria s short fiber pulp historical price series, between 2003 and 2013 to a stochastic mean reversion model, being this model validated in the present study. Once the model is validated, the parameters for calculations and fundamental analyzes are determined to reach intermediate goals, preliminary step to the results of the final goal. Among the cited calculations and analyzes, it is emphasized: determination of dynamic NPVs and values of the sequential European Real Options for the Monte Carlo Simulation with Risk Neutral Process; construction and analysis of the Binomial Tree with Risk Neutral Process; construction and analysis of the Trigger Regions for prices and marginal profits in a Real Case; Comparison between Trigger Regions and those determined by the Binomial Trees. So with such analyzes, it is confirmed, in this work, the applicability of the Real Option Theory on Investment Analysis in pulp and paper industry.

[pt] Em alguns casos pode ser útil para a empresa dividir um projeto em várias subunidades independentes. Esta divisão pode ocorrer, por exemplo, em grandes projetos nos quais são identificados partes integrantes ou módulos com diferentes riscos, retornos, matérias primas, produtos, atividades e mercados. Por outro lado, na avaliação de projetos, a consideração de opções reais de adiar o investimento, investir em informação e parar temporariamente a produção é uma sofisticada e amplificada abordagem, quando comparada com o método tradicional do Valor Presente Líquido (VPL). Desta forma, o objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar os fatores econômicos de risco de um projeto dividido em várias subunidades independentes identificados como relevantes na análise da distribuição probabilística do VPL; o processo estocástico usado para simular cada um destes fatores; a distribuição probabilística deste VPL utilizando a metodologia de opções reais de adiar o investimento, investir em informação e parar temporariamente a produção, além do valor isolado e conjunto (múltiplo) destas opções para o projeto. Com esses dados, pode-se apresentar uma metodologia para achar a combinação temporal ótima para o início dos investimentos em cada uma das subunidades que constituem este tipo de projeto, aquela em que o valor do VPL deste empreendimento é maximizado. Entre outras contribuições importantes deste trabalho para a análise de risco de projetos, apresentou-se também uma modelagem inédita para a geração de cenários estocásticos apropriados para modelar a incerteza no valor do investimento, um dos principais fatores de risco em projetos. / [en] In some cases it may be advantageous for the company to divide a project into several independent subunits. This can occur, for example, on large projects, in which are identified modules with different risks, returns, raw materials, products, activities and markets. On the other hand, in the assessment of projects, the consideration of real options to postpone investment, invest in information and stop production temporarily is a sophisticated approach compared with the traditional Net Present Value (NPV). Thus, the objective of this work is to present the economic risk factors of a project divided into several independent subunits identified as relevant in the analysis of the probability distribution of NPV; the stochastic process used to simulate each of these factors; the probability distribution of NPV using the methodology of real options to postpone investment, invest in information and temporarily stop production, besides the isolated and multiple value of these options. By making use of these data, we can present a methodology for finding the optimal time combination for the investement in each of the subunits, the one in which the value of the NPV of this project is maximized. Another specific contribution of this work, refers to the generation of appropriate stochastic scenarios to model the uncertainty in the value of investment, one of the main risk factors in projects.

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Atenciosamente, Secretaria de Registro, Suzi on 2011-09-16T18:56:44Z (GMT) / Submitted by Sheyla Brito (sheyla.brito@yahoo.com) on 2011-09-19T15:05:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_Sheyla-Brito_versao-final_2011-09.pdf: 903173 bytes, checksum: 2e19043be0af3ce4c63641a374093018 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Suzinei Teles Garcia Garcia (suzinei.garcia@fgv.br) on 2011-09-19T15:12:27Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_Sheyla-Brito_versao-final_2011-09.pdf: 903173 bytes, checksum: 2e19043be0af3ce4c63641a374093018 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Suzinei Teles Garcia Garcia (suzinei.garcia@fgv.br) on 2011-09-19T15:12:47Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_Sheyla-Brito_versao-final_2011-09.pdf: 903173 bytes, checksum: 2e19043be0af3ce4c63641a374093018 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2011-09-19T15:15:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_Sheyla-Brito_versao-final_2011-09.pdf: 903173 bytes, checksum: 2e19043be0af3ce4c63641a374093018 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-08-19 / This dissertation is focused on studying the Brazilian stock market behavior, more specifically related to a pair trading strategy. The assets included in here come from listed stocks of Brazilian Stock Exchange Index (Ibovespa) and the pair selection is exclusively based on a statistic characteristics, known as cointegration, without fundamentalist analysis. The applied theory treats similar movement of stock prices between pairs which tends to revert to an equilibrium mean of price differences. The strategy will present positive returns when reversion occurs in a pre-defined time. Back-testing data comprises intraday prices from 2006 until 2010 of Ibovespa stocks. The tools in which pair selection and trading rules are coded are MATLAB (selection) and Streambase (trading). Selection is processed through Dickey-Fuller augmented test into MATLAB to check the existence of a unit root on an error time series of a linear combination of stock prices, for each pair. Operation is simulated through intraday back-testing data as mentioned, input into Streambase tool. Within back-testing period, the strategy results are profitable in 2006, 2007 and 2010. Parameters, to enter and stop the operation, were adjusted for the first month of 2006 and could be successfully applied for the whole year of 2006 (yield of Selic + 5.8% for 2006), for 2007, where yield were close to Selic and for 2010, with yield of Selic + 10.8%. In periods of high volatility (2008 and 2009), tests with the same parameters of the ones adjusted for 2006 generated losses, showing the strategy is highly impacted per volatility returns of stock prices. This behavior suggests that, in actual operations, parameters should be constantly reevaluated in order to adapt them to volatile scenarios. / Esta dissertação estuda o movimento do mercado acionário brasileiro com o objetivo de testar a trajetória de preços de pares de ações, aplicada à estratégia de pair trading. Os ativos estudados compreendem as ações que compõem o Ibovespa e a seleção dos pares é feita de forma unicamente estatística através da característica de cointegração entre ativos, sem análise fundamentalista na escolha. A teoria aqui aplicada trata do movimento similar de preços de pares de ações que evoluem de forma a retornar para o equilíbrio. Esta evolução é medida pela diferença instantânea dos preços comparada à média histórica. A estratégia apresenta resultados positivos quando a reversão à média se efetiva, num intervalo de tempo pré-determinado. Os dados utilizados englobam os anos de 2006 a 2010, com preços intra-diários para as ações do Ibovespa. As ferramentas utilizadas para seleção dos pares e simulação de operação no mercado foram MATLAB (seleção) e Streambase (operação). A seleção foi feita através do Teste de Dickey-Fuller aumentado aplicado no MATLAB para verificar a existência da raiz unitária dos resíduos da combinação linear entre os preços das ações que compõem cada par. A operação foi feita através de back-testing com os dados intra-diários mencionados. Dentro do intervalo testado, a estratégia mostrou-se rentável para os anos de 2006, 2007 e 2010 (com retornos acima da Selic). Os parâmetros calibrados para o primeiro mês de 2006 puderam ser aplicados com sucesso para o restante do intervalo (retorno de Selic + 5,8% no ano de 2006), para 2007, onde o retorno foi bastante próximo da Selic e para 2010, com retorno de Selic + 10,8%. Nos anos de maior volatilidade (2008 e 2009), os testes com os mesmos parâmetros de 2006 apresentaram perdas, mostrando que a estratégia é fortemente impactada pela volatilidade dos retornos dos preços das ações. Este comportamento sugere que, numa operação real, os parâmetros devem ser calibrados periodicamente, com o objetivo de adaptá-los aos cenários mais voláteis.

This dissertation is based on the hypothesis that a third dimension, namely investment time horizon, can add value to the more conventional two-dimensional methodology of assessing the relative risk and return attributes of various assets and portfolios in order to enhance investment decisions. This study shows that time horizons should be considered in the investment decision making process and provides concrete evidence that a methodology that is not cognizant of investment time horizon is prone to extensive long-term opportunity cost risk. In addition to providing evidence of investment time horizon relevance, the study makes suggestions as to how time horizons could be incorporated into the risk return assessments of various asset classes and also presents a framework for the more holistic assessment of asset class properties while incorporating time horizons. / Business Management / Thesis (M. Com. (Business Management))

Many theorists have linked dividends with the ability to carry signals regarding a firm’s expected financial performance. Despite being grounded on a sound theoretical framework, empirical evidence has failed to unanimously corroborate the dividend signalling hypothesis, with some authors resignedly concluding that dividends are the puzzle of finance literature. Recent empirical evidence has shown that limiting the dividend signalling hypothesis to earnings has contributed to that puzzle. To try and decipher the puzzle, this study extends the dividend signalling hypothesis to measures of financial performance seldom linked with dividend signalling such as liquidity and gearing. Using panel data regression models and data for 39 firms listed on the JSE from 1995 to 2016, the study reveal that when one controls for the mean reversion and autocorrelation of profitability, dividends lose the power to signal earnings. The results further show that managers in South Africa use dividends to signal expected changes in liquidity and gearing. / Business Management / M. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)