Finance and Financial Management Commons^™

Valuation Driven Innovation, Keming Li

All Faculty Scholarship (Archived)

This paper examines whether and how market valuation influences firm innovation, using an ex ante valuation measure that filters firm size and growth prospects from tangible investment. Specifically, by utilizing the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) patent database, I find that firms with high market valuations generate more innovative outputs, as measured by the number of patents and patent citations. Causality is established using mutual fund flows as an exogenous shock, demonstrating a strong effect of market valuation on firm innovation. Consistent with the idea that managers take advantage of irrationally low discount rates by issuing equity and investing …

Financial Impact Of Beef Cow Culling: Canadian Analysis, Heidi R. Johnson, Eric T. Micheels, Kathy A. Larson

Journal of Applied Farm Economics

Culling decisions within beef production systems are not reversible, and as such, data can help decision-makers double-check heuristics to avoid costly mistakes. In this essay, we use financial methods to examine cow culling decisions, evaluating their impact on overall herd profitability. To do so, we use production and financial data from 16 “typical farms” within the Canadian Cow-Calf Cost of Production Network to explore the financial impact of different culling strategies. This essay builds on prior literature by using Canadian data, as there may be differences in costs and productivity across production regions. We identify four culling scenarios that vary …

[Abstract And Associated Excel File For] Quickly Generated Binomial Tree Applications For Options And Var In Excel Without Vba, Tom Arnold, C. Mitchell Conover, Joseph Farizo, Nancy Tran

Finance Faculty Publications

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Combining Excel’s =LAMBDA and =MAKEARRAY functions allows for the creation of user-defined functions for producing large binomial trees in less than a second.

Further applications of the user-defined functions allow for very quick valuations of European and American style options with large binomial trees. Applying similar techniques allows for the calculation of value-at-risk (VaR) measures.

Because the binomial tree has a certain structure, a ratio can be computed that determines how the portfolio is performing through time relative to the VaR calculation. A high (low) ratio relative to the amount of the time horizon that has elapsed indicates …

[Associated Excel File For] Facilitating Portfolio Construction Using Ex-Ante Information Ratios And Maximum Sharpe Ratios, Tom Arnold, Joseph Farizo, David S. North

Finance Faculty Publications

Investors should consider Sharpe ratios and correlations together when adding a new fund to their existing portfolio. The ex-ante information ratio (also known as the appraisal ratio) is effective in informing this decision. However, a maximum Sharpe ratio calculation is equally effective in this decision while providing the additional benefit of producing optimal portfolio weights for the combined portfolio. In this paper, we demonstrate how to compute these measures to help facilitate portfolio construction.

The Psychology Of Money: Achieving Financial Peace, Jesse L. Veenstra

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"The single biggest way to be financially healthy is to spend less than you make."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­healthy financial habits from In All Things, an online hub that offers insight into maintaining and faithful and orthodox Reformed Christian worldview while fearlessly engaging in every aspect of contemporary life – until all is made new.

The Psychology of Money

Exploration Of Designing An Automatic Classifier For Questions Containing Code Snippets—A Case Study Of Oracle Sql Certification Exam Questions, Hung-Yi Chen, Po-Chou Shih, Yunsen Wang

Department of Accounting and Finance Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

This study uses the Oracle SQL certification exam questions to explore the design of automatic classifiers for exam questions containing code snippets. SQL’s question classification assigns a class label in the exam topics to a question. With this classification, questions can be selected from the test bank according to the testing scope to assemble a more suitable test paper. Classifying questions containing code snippets is more challenging than classifying questions with general text descriptions. In this study, we use factorial experiments to identify the effects of the factors of the feature representation scheme and the machine learning method on the …

From Cypherpunks To Decentralized Finance: How Crypto-Anarchy Is Redefining Legal And Economic Systems, Alesia Zhuk

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

This article explores the evolution of crypto-anarchy, tracing its origins from the cypherpunk movement to the rise of decentralized finance (DeFi) and its transformative effects on legal and economic systems. Central to crypto-anarchy is the belief in individual empowerment through privacy, financial autonomy, and decentralization, which allows users to bypass traditional intermediaries like banks. While these technologies offer increased freedom and financial inclusion, they also introduce significant risks such as money laundering, tax evasion, and the facilitation of illegal activities, posing challenges to current regulatory frameworks. The article examines the socio-economic implications of decentralization, including both the democratization of finance …

From Socially Responsible Enterprises To Crypto-Anarchy: We Cover Quite A Range, Nikhilesh Dholakia, Deniz Atik, Delphine Godefroit-Winkel

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

No abstract provided.

Fixed Income Fund Report, January 2025, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.

Equity Fund Monthly Report, January 2025, Archway Investment Fund

Archway Investment Fund

No abstract provided.

Drivers Of Foreign Direct Investment In Latin America, Daniel Flores

Research Honors

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has played a crucial role in driving economic growth across Latin America, yet the determinants influencing FDI inflows in the region remain contested. This research examines the effect of macroeconomic and institutional individual factors on FDI, employing a Dynamic Panel Vector Autoregressive (PVAR) model with the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM). Our findings reveal significant temporal variations in the determinants of FDI over time. Political stability was a decisive factor during 2002–2008, reflecting investor preference for predictable institutional environments amid favorable economic conditions. The 2009–2015 period showed weakened relationships between FDI and its determinants, potentially due …

Managers' Staging Of Earnings Conference Calls Around Actual Share Repurchases, Hong Kim Duong, Chuong Do, Huy N. Do

Accounting Faculty Publications

We use earnings call transcripts to examine whether managers strategically change their disclosure behaviors before an actual share repurchase. Our findings suggest that managers use tone management to strategically portray a more negative outlook for the firm in the earnings call before an actual repurchase. In addition, we find that managers of repurchasing firms “cast” the call with more unfavorable analysts even when more favorable analysts are available. These disclosure strategies aim to influence the information flows to the market and allow repurchasing firms to repurchase their shares at a discounted price. We further show that insiders of repurchasing firms …

Has The Iasb Successfully Achieved Its Stated Goals? A Literature Synthesis And Theoretical Model, Stephen B. Salter, Hong Kim Duong, Gaurav Gupta

Accounting Faculty Publications

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has been successful in achieving its stated objective of enhancing the comparability of financial reports produced across the globe. According to IFRS.org, "IFRS Accounting Standards bring transparency by enhancing the international comparability and quality of financial information, enabling investors and other market participants to make informed economic decisions." To meet our research objective, we summarize the research on international financial reporting standards (IFRS) found in seven relevant ABDC A and A* journals for 2016-2021. Based on the examination of published research, we create a model …

Safety Ratings And Their Effect On Operating Costs In The Trucking Industry: A Data-Driven Analysis, Teresa L. Smith

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This dissertation explored the interplay between safety ratings and financial performance within the transportation sector, with a specific focus on the trucking industry. In an era where safety standards are paramount, the primary objective of the study was to determine the impact of safety ratings on the operating costs of trucking firms. Using a robust methodology grounded in quantitative analysis and industry-specific secondary data, the study established empirical connections between safety ratings and operating costs. This included a focused effort to identify direct effects, highlighting the potential influence of lower safety ratings on economic outcomes within the trucking industry.

Furthermore, …

Assessing The Impact Of Financial, Educational, And Managerial Resources On The Success Of Minority-Owned Businesses: An Analysis Of Resources From The Perspective Of The Minority Business Owner, Clinton B. Arnold

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Minority-owned businesses (MOBs) in the United States have a failure rate that is 50% higher than that of their non-minority counterparts. Rectifying this imbalance and achieving parity could yield significant economic benefits, potentially adding $1.5 trillion to the nation's economy if resources—financial, educational, and managerial—are equitably distributed and effectively made available to support the goals of minority businesses. However, historical injustices, from Jim Crow laws to systemic discrimination, have granted certain groups multi-generational advantages, exacerbating the divide. Addressing these disparities is both an economic imperative and a moral obligation to ensure equal opportunity. Lending Tree (2023)

With 1.2 million MOBs …

Utilizing Financial Modeling To Make Informed Equity Decisions Situated In The Scholarly And Public Sphere, Max Kimmel

Honors Senior Capstones and Theses

As of 2025, there is an estimated total of “US$145.4 trillion” (Olatunji-Albert and Meres) under management by institutional investors according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. This capital is primarily composed of high-net-worth individuals (individuals with liquid assets of at least $1 million (Hayes) in addition to universities' endowments and pensions. With the main intention of investing to be to preserve wealth, many retail investors believe that they are capable of outperforming the market, eliminating the need for industry professionals such as asset managers. After thorough examination and implementation of financial management concepts such as Stovall Sector Rotation and Markowitz Modern Portfolio Theory, it …

Ipo Performance And Stochastic Dominance, Vassil T. Mihov, Jue Ren

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

We examine the performance of initial public offerings (IPO) using a stochastic dominance approach that captures investors’ preferences for higher moments of the returns distribution. Using a comprehensive sample of 6,671 IPOs in the U.S. from 1980 to 2012, we find no evidence that IPOs underperform size and book-to-market matched portfolios. We find that the market portfolios do not second-order stochastic dominate IPOs with VC-backing, backed by high reputation VCs, low debt IPOs, or those backed by growth capital. We also examine the IPO performance in booms vs. recessions as well as in times of low vs. high sentiment. Overall, …

Formal Financing Of Small And Medium Scale Enterprises In Nigeria: A Path To Economic Development?, Kingsley Onyekachi Onyele, Eberechi Ikwuagwu, Innocent Umezurike

The Journal of Entrepreneurial Finance

This investigation assessed the influence of formal financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on the economic advancement of Nigeria, utilising annual time series data ranging from 1992 to 2022. Employing the Cobb-Douglas framework, control variables, including capital formation and labour, which could influence economic development, were incorporated into the empirical model to mitigate bias. Following initial tests for stationarity, it was determined that all variables achieved stationarity upon the first difference, a finding that validated the Vector Error Correction Mechanism (VECM) application. The analysis revealed that the credit extended to SMEs by commercial banks and the loans provided by …

Employee Benefit Plan Audits: Knowledge Spillover For Improving Quality, Lisa Ann Nash

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study provides a unique glimpse into the work of non-BigN accounting firms offering Employee Benefit Plan (EBP) audit services for single employer defined contribution plans. The study examines knowledge spillover from joint services and EBP auditor specialization to improve EBP audit quality. EBPs often incur low-quality audits, resulting in penalties assessed by the Department of Labor (DOL) for deficiencies. Companies may feel a sense of comfort hiring the same auditor they used for their company financial statements, but the EBP audits require the auditor to possess specialized knowledge beyond the requirements for the financial statements to confirm compliance with …

Uncovering Earnings Management In The U.S. Tech Industry: Strategies To Meet Or Just Beat Analyst Eps Expectations, Morgan Schilling

CMC Senior Theses

This paper investigates earnings management practices within the U.S. tech industry, focusing on firms that meet or just beat analyst EPS expectations. I specifically built off the Stubben (2010) model that used discretionary revenue to identify potential mismanagement across multiple industries. The modified model incorporates deferred revenue as well as accounts receivable to identify revenue recognition practices in an industry where subscription based revenue is highly relevant. I hypothesize that tech firms with aggressive revenue recognition strategies, particularly those with higher levels of accounts receivable, are more likely to engage in earnings management in order to meet EPS targets. A …