Abstract
We use earnings forecasts from a cross-sectional model to proxy for cash flow expectations and estimate the implied cost of capital (ICC) for a large sample of firms over 1968¿2008. The earnings forecasts generated by the cross-sectional model are superior to analysts' forecasts in terms of coverage, forecast bias, and earnings response coefficient. Moreover, the model-based ICC is a more reliable proxy for expected returns than the ICC based on analysts' forecasts. We present evidence on the cross-sectional relation between firm-level characteristics and ex ante expected returns using the model-based ICC.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 504-526 |
| Number of pages | 23 |
| Journal | Journal of Accounting and Economics |
| Volume | 53 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2012 |