Publications

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January 2008
Background Note

Collateralized Debt Obligations (CDOs)

By: Joshua Coval and Erik Stafford

This lesson integrated Merton's (1974) contingent claims model of debt and equity claims with the CAPM, which allows us to examine the risks and pricing of credit portfolios and the derivative claims issued against them. In particular, this model is used to make... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Borrowing and Debt; Credit Derivatives and Swaps; Investment Portfolio; Risk Management

1999
Working Paper

Investigating the Economic Role of Mergers

By: Gregor Andrade and Erik Stafford

2021
Working Paper

Limits to Bank Deposit Market Power

By: Juliane Begenau and Erik Stafford

Claims about the market power of bank deposits in the banking literature are numerous and far reaching. Recently, a causal narrative has emerged in the banking literature: market power in bank deposits, measured as imperfect pass-through of short-term market rates on... View Details

Keywords: Bank Deposits; Market Power; Net Interest Margin (NIM); Banks and Banking; Interest Rates; Risk and Uncertainty

Article

Achieving Value in Highly Complex Acute Care: Lessons from the Delivery of Extra Corporeal Life Support

By: Michael Nurok, Jonathan Warsh, Erik Dong, Jeffrey Lopez, Mayumi Kharabi and Robert S. Kaplan

We applied a value (outcomes and cost) analysis to extracorporeal life support (ECLS), a relatively rare but very expensive ICU therapy with highly variable outcomes. To address the outcome component of the value approach, we created guidelines for ECLS delivery; to... View Details

Keywords: Health Care and Treatment; Cost Management; Value; Analysis

November 2007
Background Note

Asset Allocation I

By: Joshua D. Coval, Erik Stafford, Rodrigo Osmo, John Jernigan, Zack Page and Paulo Passoni

The goal of these simulations is to understand the mathematics of mean-variance optimization and the equilibrium pricing of risk if all investors use this rule with common information sets. Simulation A focuses on five to 10 years of monthly sector returns that are... View Details

Keywords: Asset Pricing; Capital; Investment Return; Risk Management; Mathematical Methods

Article

Hinged Dissections Exist

By: Timothy G. Abbott, Zachary Abel, David Charlton, Erik D. Demaine, Martin L. Demaine and Scott Duke Kominers

We prove that any finite collection of polygons of equal area has a common hinged dissection. That is, for any such collection of polygons there exists a chain of polygons hinged at vertices that can be folded in the plane continuously without self-intersection to form... View Details

Keywords: Folding; Reconfiguration; Hinge; Plygon; Refinement; Mathematical Methods

March 2011
Supplement

Valuation of AirThread Connections, Spreadsheet Supplement (Brief Case)

By: Erik Stafford and Joel L. Heilprin

Keywords: Present Value; Tax Accounting; Capital Costs; Synergy; Telephony; Wireless Technologies; Assets; Cost of Capital; Valuation; Capital Structure; Cash Flow; Communication; Taxation; Accounting; Wireless Technology

November 2007
Background Note

Bayesian Estimation & Black-Litterman

By: Joshua D. Coval and Erik Stafford

Describes a practical method for asset allocation that is more robust to estimation errors than the traditional implementation of mean-variance optimization with sample means and covariances. The Bayesian inspired Black-Litterman model is described after introducing... View Details

Keywords: Asset Management; Investment Portfolio; Mathematical Methods

June 2005 (Revised October 2007)
Teaching Note

The Law of One Price (TN)

By: Joshua D. Coval and Erik Stafford

Teaching Note to (2-205-079). View Details

Keywords: Price

September 2014
Supplement

Evanston Capital Management Spreadsheet Supplement

By: Erik Stafford and Aditya Vikram Sunderam

March 2011
Teaching Note

Valuation of AirThread Connections (Brief Case)

By: Erik Stafford and Joel L. Heilprin

Teaching note for case #4263. View Details

Keywords: Present Value; Tax Accounting; Capital Costs; Synergy; Telephony; Wireless Technologies; Assets; Cost of Capital; Valuation; Capital Structure; Cash Flow; Communication; Taxation; Accounting; Wireless Technology

April 2001 (Revised September 2001)
Teaching Note

Cost of Capital at Ameritrade TN

By: Mark L. Mitchell and Erik Stafford

Teaching Note for (9-201-046). View Details

Keywords: Financial Services Industry

March 2011
Supplement

Valuation of AirThread Connections, Faculty Spreadsheet Supplement (Brief Case)

By: Erik Stafford and Joel L. Heilprin

Keywords: Present Value; Tax Accounting; Capital Costs; Synergy; Telephony; Wireless Technologies; Assets; Cost of Capital; Valuation; Capital Structure; Cash Flow; Communication; Taxation; Accounting; Wireless Technology

June 2009 (Revised March 2010)
Supplement

Hansson Private Label, Inc.: Evaluating an Investment in Expansion, Teaching Note Spreadsheet (Brief Case)

By: Erik Stafford and Joel L. Heilprin

September 2010 (Revised May 2012)
Case

Harvard Management Company (2010)

By: Andre F. Perold and Erik Stafford

In February 2010, Jane Mendillo, CEO of Harvard Management Company, was reflecting on the list of issues facing Harvard University's endowment in preparation for the upcoming board meeting. The recent financial crisis had vividly highlighted several key issues... View Details

Keywords: Financial Crisis; Higher Education; Asset Management; Financial Liquidity; Investment Portfolio; Risk Management; Education Industry; Financial Services Industry; Massachusetts

January 2008
Teaching Note

Options (TN)

By: Joshua D. Coval and Erik Stafford

Teaching Note for [208116], [208117], [208118], and [208119]. View Details

Keywords: Stock Options

January 2008
Teaching Note

Credit Risk: Valuing Risky Debt & CDOs (TN)

By: Joshua D. Coval and Erik Stafford

Teaching Note for [208111] and [208113]. View Details

Keywords: Price; Credit; Risk Management; Investment; Bonds; Borrowing and Debt; Decisions

November 2007
Background Note

Event Arbitrage

By: Joshua D. Coval and Erik Stafford

The event arbitrage module includes two simulation sessions. The first simulation focuses on analyzing and evaluating individual merger transactions, while the second simulation emphasizes managing a portfolio of individual positions and the limitations of arbitrage... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Capital Markets; Financial Management; Investment Portfolio; Risk Management