This thesis provides evidence of size and value premiums in returns in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) region, through its analysis of financial markets in 12 countries. Following the portfolio construction methodology of Fama and French (1996) we use a sample of 1245 stocks and record that small stocks outperform big stocks (size premium) and value stocks outperform growth stocks (value premium). In addition, we create nine portfolios to test the Fama and French three-factor model and show that the factor-mimicking portfolios that have been documented in the developed markets, SMB (small minus big) and HML (high minus low), also capture most of the cross-section variation in average stock returns in the CEE region. We demonstrate a similar pattern in terms of size return as documented in the U.S. market, but with small differences in the value returns found. Although the Gibbons-Ross-Shanken (GRS) test does not reject the null with 95%, we do not agree that the model completely explains the variation in average returns across the portfolios. The GRS rejects the null at 90% and implies that other factors are omitted from the model. Nevertheless, this thesis contributes to the literature applying asset pricing models to the CEE region, and should provide insights to investors active in the CEE...

The aim of diploma thesis is to evaluate the position of a small company offering services in a golf courses market. Following aims are to show reference both in short run investments and strategic investments. The main tools used in the document are the Porter's five forces, the SWOT analysis, and the analysis of criterions matrix. The output of the diploma statement is that the small company is strongly fixed in the market of golf services. The short term strategic recomendation is to focus on the needs of the target market customers as well as to increase the quality of the services and the golf environment. The main long term strategic recomendation is to rebuilt the old devastated building near by chateau Hrádek u Nechanic into a hotel and restaurant belonging to the golf course. This reconstruction needs to be funded with EU grants at least by 27% of the total cost, therefore by 30.922.000,- CZK.

The green bond market offers investors the opportunity to take an explicit focus on sustainable investment projects. However, it is yet to be determined whether this novel asset class offers attractive yields compared to non-green bonds. To address this question, we study European green bonds and how they diverge from conventional bonds in terms of yields. Using a dataset of 88 matched pairs of European green bonds between 2015 and 2019, we document a significant negative green bond premium of -12 bps on average in the secondary market. The green bond premium is defined as the yield differential between a green and a conventional bond while controlling for liquidity. The results suggest that European investors accept a lower financial return in exchange for receiving non-pecuniary benefits and thus challenging the assumptions of classical asset pricing models. Furthermore, we use a matching method and two-step regression to control for liquidity and identify the determinants of the green bond premium. The results show that the negative green bond premium is less pronounced for lower-rated bonds. Moreover, we find support for variations in the green bond premium across different business sectors. Government-related green bonds experience a greater negative green bond premium than green bonds related to financials and industrial corporates.

Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) is an equilibrium model to test relationship between expected return and market risk (Sharpe, 1964). The model research on pricing and return when the securities market reaches equilibrium and investors are rational and investing by diversification based on Markovitz portfolio theory (Markovitz, 1952). Fama and MacBeth (1973) proposed a cross-sectional testing methodology on CAPM and this regression method has been widely used in testing CAPM in developed markets since then. While CAPM is hard to explain more and more market anomalies (excessive return in smaller market value company) in cross section regression, Fama and French (1992) added two more factors (SMB and HML) and proposed three factor model. The empirical results show that three factor model is superior to CAPM in developed markets. Relevant studies have been conducted by Manjuunatha (2006) and Trimech et al. (2015) but show different results. This dissertation will use Fama-MacBeth cross section approach to test CAPM and Fama-French's three factor model in Chinese and Polish stock market respectively. Following Fama and MacBeth (1972) and Shweta and Anil (2015), three sub periods of Polish and Chinese stock market returns ranging from 2007 to 2018 are examined. The empirical results in this thesis...

Titel: Kapitalkostnadsberäkning för investeringar - En kvantitativ studie av svenska börsnoterade bolag Frågeställningar: Hur beräknas kapitalkostnad primärt i svenska börsnoterade bolag? Skiljer sig beräkningen av kapitalkostnad i svenska börsnoterade bolag beroende på faktorer som  företagsstorlek, sektor och företagsmognad? Syfte: Syftet med undersökningen är att få svar på hur beräkning av kapitalkostnad faktiskt går till i börsnoterade bolag i Sverige och huruvida beräkningen varierar i förhållande till faktorerna företagsstorlek, sektor och företagsmognad.  Metod: Genom att använda av de nämnda faktorerna kunde företags olikheter lyftas på ett bra sätt. Det studerade urvalet bestod av 25 respondenter som besvarade en enkät. Med hjälp av enkätsvaren kunde hypoteser formas och testas. Slutsats: Undersökningen visar att det finns vissa statistiskt signifikanta samband mellan kapitalkostnadsberäkning och företagsstorlek samt en studerad sektor. Vidare lyfter studien vissa olikheter i riskhantering mellan olika företagsstorlekar. Studien presenterar också vilka metoder som används mest för beräkning av kapitalkostnad, kostnad för eget kapital samt kostnad för lånefinansiering i Sverige. De är Weighted average cost of capital, Capital asset pricing model respektive genomsnittlig kostnad. / Title: Cost of capital calculation for investments - A quantitative study of Swedish listed companies Research questions:  How is cost of capital generally calculated in Swedish listed companies? Are there any differences in cost of capital calculation methods in Swedish listed companies depending on company size, sector and company maturity? Purpose: This quantitative study intends to highlight how capital cost calculations are made in Swedish companies. Another part of the aim is to investigate connections between cost of capital calculation and the factors company size, sector and company maturity.  Method: By using the factors, different company disparities could be projected in a useful way. The examined sample of 25 companies answered a survey. With these answers hypotheses were formed and tested. Conclusion: This study shows that there are some statistically significant connections between cost of capital calculation and company size and one examined sector. Furthermore, the study also highlights the differences in consideration of risk in different company sizes. This study also presents a result about the most common methods for calculating cost of capital,cost of equity and cost of debt in Sweden. These are Weighted average cost of capital, Capital asset pricing model respectively average cost.

This thesis examines the risk profile of Electronically Traded Funds and the dependence of the ESG rating on risk. 527 ETFs with exposure globally were analyzed. Risk measures considered were Value-at-Risk and Expected Shortfall, while some other metrics of risk was used, such as the volatility, maximum drawdown, tail dependece, and copulas. Stress tests were conducted in order to test the resilience against market downturns. The ETFs were grouped by their ESG rating as well as by their carbon intensity. The results show that the lowest risk can be found for ETFs with either the lowest ESG rating or the highest. Generally, a higher ESG rating implies a lower risk, but without statistical significance in many cases. Further, ETFs with a higher ESG rating showed, on average, a lower maximum drawdown, a higher tail dependence, and more resilience in market downturns. Regarding volatility, the average was shown to be lower on average for ETFs with a higher ESG rating, but no statistical significance could be found. Interestingly, the results show that investing sustainably returns a better financial performance at a lower risk, thus going against the Capital Asset Pricing Model. / Denna studie undersöker riskprofilen för elektroniskt handlade fonder och sambandet mellan risk och hållbarhetsbetyg. 527 ETF:er med global exponering analyserades. De riskmått som användes var Value-at-Risk och Expected Shortfall, och några andra mått för risk användes, däribland volatilitet, största intradagsnedgång, samband i svansfördelning, och copulas. Stresstest utfördes för att testa motsåtndskraften i marknadsnedgångar. ETF:erna grupperades med hjälp av deras hållbarhetsbetyg och deras koldioxidintensitet. Resultatet visar att lägst risk finns i ETF:er med högst respektive lägst hållbarhetsbetyg. Generellt har ETF:er med högre hållbarhetsbetyg en lägre risk, med endast viss statistisk signifikans. Därtill har ETF:er med högre hållbarhetsbetyg, i genomsnitt, en lägre största intradagsnedgång, högre samband i fördelningssvansarna och är mer motståndskraftiga i marknadsnedgångar. Volatiliteten är i genomsnitt lägre desto högre hållbarhetsbetyget är, men detta resultat saknar statistisk signifikans. Ett intressant resultat är att om man investerar hållbart kan man få en högre avkastning med en lägre risk, vilket går emot Capital Asset Pricing Model.

[pt] Este trabalho busca analisar a divergência observada, quanto à aplicabilidade do prêmio de risco por tamanho, entre a proposta apresentada pela TBG – Transportadora Gasoduto Bolívia-Brasil e a resposta da ANP - Agência Nacional de Petróleo para estimação do custo de capital próprio que balizará a tarifa máxima de transporte de gás natural para a empresa regulada. Tanto a TBG quanto a ANP adotaram o Capital Asset Price Model – CAPM como modelo para estimação do custo de capital próprio, no entanto, a proposta da TBG considerou o prêmio de risco por tamanho, ao passo que a resposta da Agência Reguladora não acatou a inclusão desse prêmio, conforme consta na nota técnica nº 007/2018-SIM de 16 de julho de 2018. Para analisar a divergência em relação ao prêmio de risco por tamanho, foi o utilizado modelo de três fatores de Fama e French (1993), que considera, além do risco sistemático adotado no CAPM, os fatores tamanho e índice B/M (book-to-market) para mensuração do custo de capital próprio. Os resultados encontrados, com base no modelo de três fatores de Fama e French (1993), não indicam aplicabilidade do prêmio de risco por tamanho para estimação do custo de capital próprio no mercado regulado de transporte de gás natural, pois os coeficientes dos fatores small minus big (SMB) e high minus low (HML) não apresentaram resultados com significância estatística para diversas das carteiras analisadas. Adicionalmente, as empresas de menor porte (small) e de alto índice B/M (high) apresentaram, entre julho de 2009 e junho de 2018, retornos médios inferiores às empresas maiores (big) e de baixo índice B/M (low), não evidenciando a existência de prêmios de risco por tamanho e por valor. / [en] The purpose of this study is to analyze the divergence observed regarding the applicability of the size risk premium, between the proposal presented by TBG - Brazilian Transporter Gasoduto Bolívia-Brasil and the response of ANP - National Petroleum Agency, in the estimation of the cost of equity that will define the maximum rate for the transport of natural gas to the regulated company. Both TBG and ANP adopted the Capital Asset Price Model (CAPM) model, however, TBG proposal considered the size risk premium while ANP response did not accept the inclusion of this premium as stated in technical note no. 007/2018-SIM of July 16, 2018. To analyze this divergence was used the Fama and French three factor model (1993) that considers, besides the systematic risk adopted in the CAPM, the factors size and B/M (book-to-market) index for measuring the cost of equity. The results obtained, based on Fama and French three factors model (1993), do not indicate the applicability of the size risk premium for estimative of the cost of equity in the regulated natural gas transportation market, since the small minus big (SMB) and high minus low (HML) factor s coefficients did not present statistical significant results for some of the analyzed portfolios. In addition, smaller and high B/M companies presented, between July 2009 and June 2018, lower average returns than bigger and low B/M companies, not evidencing the existence of size and value risk premiums.

Die studie vergelyk die prestasie van 'n koop-en-hou-strategie met die van 'n tydsberekeningstrategie binne die raamwerk van die arbitrasie-prysbepalingsteorie (APT) op die nywerheidsindeks van die Johannesburgse Aandelebeurs (JA). Die periode van die studie is oor twee tydperke, naamlik Januarie 1970 tot September 1987 en Januarie 1989 tot Junie 1997. Die langtermyntendens van die nywerheidsindeks en APT-faktore is bepaal deur die beste nie-reglynige model vir elke tydreeks te vind. Reglynige meervoudige stapsgewyse regressie-ontleding is gebruik om die bewegings van die nywerheidsindeks rondom die langtermyntendens te voorspel. Die sloeringsreekse van die langtermyntendensresidutelling van die APT-faktore en die sloeringsreekse van die eerste-ordeverskiltelling van die langtermyntendensresidutelling is as moontlike voorspellers gebruik. Gegrond hierop is beslissingslyne ontwik:kel wat gebruik is vir die implementering van 'n tydsberekeningstrategie. Die resultate van die studie is die volgende: • Waar die sloeringsreekse van die langtermyntendensresidutelling van die APTfaktore as moontlike voorspellers gebruik is, is die risiko-aangepaste opbrengskoers van 'n tydsberekeningstrategie 6, 41 persent en 0, 71 persent b6 die van 'n koop-en-hou-strategie vir tydperk een en twee onderskeidelik. • Waar die sloeringsreekse van die eerste-ordeverskiltelling van die langtermyntendensresidutelling van die APT-faktore as moontlike voorspellers gebruik is, is die risiko-aangepaste opbrengskoers van 'n tydsberekeningstrategie 10,40 persent en 1,04 persent b6 die van 'n koop-enhou- strategie vir tydperk een en twee onderskeidelik. Die belangrikste gevolgtrekking van die studie is dat die APT en 'n tydsberekeningstrategie teoreties en prakties versoenbaar is op die JA. Aanbevelings vir toekomstige navorsing is die volgende: ( 1) sistematiese risikofaktore, anders as makro-ekonomiese faktore, behoort identifiseer te word wat die voorspellingswaarde van die faktore in die tweede tydperk van die studie kan verhoog; (2) elke stap van die model wat ontwikkel is, behoort op elke indeks van die JA toegepas te word om die risiko-aangepaste opbrengskoers van 'n tydsberekeningstrategie toegepas op elkeen van die indekse met die van 'n koop-en-hou-strategie te vergelyk; en (3) die invloed van transaksiekoste en dividende op die potensiele voordele van tydsberekening moet bepaal word. / The study compares the performance of a buy-and-hold strategy with that of a markettiming strategy in the framework of the arbitrage pricing theory (APT) applied to the industrial index of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The study period is divided into two parts, namely January 1970 to September 1987 and January 1989 to June 1997. The long-term trend of the industrial index and every APT factor is determined by finding the best nonlinear model for each time series. Linear multiple stepwise regression analysis, with the lagged time series of the long-term trend error terms of the APT factors, is used to forecast the movement of the industrial index around its long-term trend. Decision lines were developed to implement a market-timing strategy. The results of the study are as follows: • Where the lagged time series of the long-term trend error terms of the APT factors were used as possible predictors, the risk-adjusted return of a markettiming strategy was 6, 41 percent and 0, 71 percent higher than that of a buyand- hold strategy for periods one and two respectively. • Where the lagged time series of the first-order difference of the long-term trend error term of the APT factors were used as possible predictors, the riskadjusted return of the market-timing strategy was 10,40 percent and 1,04 percent higher than that of a buy-and-hold strategy for periods one and two respectively. The main conclusion of the study is that the APT and a market-timing strategy are theoretically and practically reconcilable on the JSE. The main recommendations of the study are the following: (1) systematic risk factors, other than macroeconomic factors, should be identified in order to increase the forecasting value of these factors in the second period of the study; (2) each step of the model developed in this study should be repeated on every index of the JSE; and (3) the influence of transaction costs and dividends on the potential benefits of a market-timing strategy should be determined. / Business Management / DCom (Sakebestuur)

The impact of political and economic events on the asset pricing model described by the arbitrage pricing theory (APTM) was examined in order to establish if they had caused any changes in its specification. It was concluded that the APTM is not stationary and that it must be continuously tested before it can be used as political and economic events can change its specification. It was also found that political events had a more direct effect on the specification of the APTM, in that their effect is more immediate, than did economic events, which influenced the APTM by first influencing the economic environment in which it operated. The conventional approach that would have evaluated important political and economic events, case by case, to determine whether they affected the linear factor model (LFM), and subsequently the APTM, could not be used since no correlation was found between the pricing of a risk factor in the LFM and its subsequent pricing in the APTM. A new approach was then followed in which a correlation with a political or economic event was sought whenever a change was detected in the specification of the APTM. This was achieved by first finding the best subset LFM, chosen for producing the highest adjusted R2 , month by month, over 87 periods from 20 October1991 to 21 June 1998, using a combination of nine prespecified risk factors (five of which were proxies for economic events and one for political events). Multivariate analysis techniques were then used to establish which risk factors were priced most often during the three equal subperiods into which the 87 periods were broken up. Using the above methodology, the researcher was able to conclude that political events changed the specification of the APTM in late 1991. After the national elections in April 1994 it was found that the acceptance of South Africa into the world economic community had again changed the specification of the APTM and the two most important factors were proxies for economic events. / Business Leadership / DBL

The study investigates whether the main capital market theories and pricing models provide a reasonably accurate description of the working and efficiency of capital markets, of the pricing of shares and options and the effect the risk/return relationship has on investor behaviour. The capital market theories and pricing models included in the study are Portfolio Theory, the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH), the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), the Arbitrage Pricing Theory (APT), Options Theory and the BlackScholes (8-S) Option Pricing Model. The main conclusion of the study is that the main capital market theories and pricing models, as reviewed in the study, do provide a reasonably accurate description of reality, but a number of anomalies and controversial issues still need to be resolved. The main recommendation of the study is that research into these theories and models should continue unabated, while the specific recommendations in a South African context are the following: ( 1) the benefits of global diversification for South African investors should continue to be investigated; (2) the level and degree of efficiency of the JSE Securities Exchange SA (JSE) should continue to be monitored, and it should be established whether alternative theories to the EMH provide complementary or better descriptions of the efficiency of the South African market; (3) both the CAPM and the APT should continue to be tested, both individually and jointly, in order to better understand the pricing mechanism of, and risk/return relationship on the JSE; (4) much South African research still needs to be conducted on the efficiency of the relatively new options market and the application of the B-S Option Pricing Model under South African conditions. / Financial Accounting / M. Com. (Accounting)