Publications

March 2015
Article

Inside the “Black Box” of Sell-Side Financial Analysts

By: Lawrence D. Brown, Andrew C. Call, Michael B. Clement and Nathan Y. Sharp

Our objective is to penetrate the “black box” of sell-side financial analysts by providing new insights into the inputs analysts use and the incentives they face. We survey 365 analysts and conduct 18 follow-up interviews covering a wide range of topics, including the... View Details

Keywords: Knowledge Use and Leverage; Investment; Analysis; Forecasting and Prediction; Stocks; Financial Services Industry

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November 2024
Article

A National Analysis of General Pediatric Inpatient Unit Closures and Openings, 2011–2018

By: Carolyn San Soucie, Nancy D. Beaulieu, Jason D. Buxbaum, David Cutler, JoAnna K. Leyenaar, Sarah C. McBride, Olivia Zhao and Alyna T. Chien

OBJECTIVES: This paper provides an examination of: (1) the frequency and net rates of change for general pediatric inpatient (GPI) unit closures and openings nationally and by state; (2) how often closures or openings are caused by GPI unit changes only or caused by... View Details

Keywords: Health Industry

2008
Working Paper

New Framework for Measuring and Managing Macrofinancial Risk and Financial Stability

By: Dale F. Gray, Robert C. Merton and Zvi Bodie

This paper proposes a new approach to improve the way central banks can analyze and manage the financial risks of a national economy. It is based on the modern theory and practice of contingent claims analysis (CCA), which is successfully used today at the level of... View Details

Keywords: Financial Crisis; Macroeconomics; Central Banking; Risk Management

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April 2013
Teaching Plan

Barclays and the LIBOR Scandal

By: Clayton S. Rose and Aldo Sesia

In the summer of 2012, Barclays plc, one of the largest banks in the world, agreed to settle with authorities and acknowledged that the firm had manipulated LIBOR (London Inter-Bank Offered Rate)—a benchmark reference rate that was fundamental to the operation of... View Details

Keywords: Financial Systems; Financial Services; Corruption; Regulation; General Management; Management; Leadership; Economic Systems; Crime and Corruption; Ethics; Culture; Financial Services Industry; Financial Services Industry; United Kingdom

Front Page News: The Effect of News Positioning on Financial markets

This paper estimates the effect of presentation of information on financial markets, using quasi-random variation in prominent "front page" positioning of news on the Bloomberg... View Details

2007
Working Paper

New Framework for Measuring and Managing Macrofinancial Risk and Financial Stability

By: Dale F. Gray, Robert C. Merton and Zvi Bodie

Keywords: Financial Crisis; Macroeconomics; Central Banking; Risk Management

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08 Oct 2012
Research & Ideas

The Immigrants Who Built America’s Financial System

quiet, less colorful guy. In any case, both he and Hamilton showed that they had amazing analytical abilities and devoted themselves to understanding the hard numbers. A: Yes, they were both really, really good with numbers and financial... View Details

Keywords: by Julia Hanna; Financial Services; Financial Services

05 Jul 2006
Working Paper Summaries

A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Excess Comovement of Stock Returns

Keywords: by Robin Greenwood; Financial Services

July 2025
Case

Microsoft’s Performance Across Three CEOs

By: George Serafeim

This case traces Microsoft’s evolution from its founding through 2024. Students analyze how changes in operating segments both reflected and shaped Microsoft’s strategy, culture, and financial communication. The case provides rich quantitative exhibits (segment... View Details

Keywords: Financial Accounting; Financial Statement Analysis; Disclosure; Disclosure Strategy; Disclosure Tone; Organizational Transformations; Transformation; AI; Digital; Organizational Change; Accounting; Financial Statements; Strategy; Organizational Structure; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Technology Industry; Information Technology Industry; United States

2013
Working Paper

FIN Around the World: The Contribution of Financing Activity to Profitability

By: Russell Lundholm, George Serafeim and Gwen Yu

We study how the availability of domestic credit influences the contribution that financing activities make to a firm's return on equity (ROE). Using a sample of 51,866 firms from 69 countries, we find that financing activities contribute more to a firm's ROE in... View Details

Keywords: Domestic Credit; Return Of Equity; Corporate Performance; Financial Statement Analysis; Financial Statements; Valuation; Cost of Capital; Asset Pricing; Economic Growth

SSRN

July 2012 (Revised November 2012)
Case

Dragonfly Corporation

By: Howard H. Stevenson and Jim Sharpe

After 3 years of losses and under legal threats from their landlord, a husband and wife team are faced with shutting the company down, buying time with the landlord or turning to their parents for additional funds. Despite opening a new location and seeing that sales... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurs; Entrepreneurial Management; Turnarounds; Bankruptcy; Bank Loan; Crisis Management; Family Business; Retail Trade; Financial Crisis; Financial Analysis; Entrepreneurship; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Retail Industry; United States

June 5, 2015
Article

How Banking Analysts' Biases Benefit Everyone Except Investors

By: George Serafeim, Joanne Horton and Shan Wu

Keywords: Banking; Sell-side Analysts; Financial Analysis; Financial Analysts; Career Management; Career Advancement; Labor Market; Prejudice and Bias; Investment Banking; Personal Development and Career

June 2017
Teaching Note

Project Sun Devil and Project Paris

By: Nori Gerardo Lietz and Alexander W. Schultz

Tony Lee is preparing to present a project to the investment committee of Howard Street Capital. He will be recommending an investment in Project Sun Devil, a high-quality 225-unit student housing rental property near Tempe, Arizona. Tony Lee will compete for capital... View Details

Keywords: General Management; Financial Analysis; Return On Assets; Accounting; Performance Measurement; Financial Ratios; Return On Equity; Financial Statements; Profitability Analysis; Portfolio Investment; Portfolio Management; Real Estate; Property; Investment Portfolio; Investment Return; Analysis; Real Estate Industry; United States

2010
Chapter

Measuring and Managing Macrofinancial Risk and Financial Stability: A New Framework

By: Dale F. Gray, Robert C. Merton and Zvi Bodie

Keywords: Financial Statements; Economy; Financial Condition; Central Banking; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Management Practices and Processes; Risk Management; Measurement and Metrics; System Shocks

23 Sep 2008
Working Paper Summaries

New Framework for Measuring and Managing Macrofinancial Risk and Financial Stability

Keywords: by Dale F. Gray, Robert C. Merton & Zvi Bodie

March 2010
Article

Extreme Governance: An Analysis of Dual-Class Firms in the United States

By: Paul A. Gompers, Joy Ishii and Andrew Metrick

We construct a comprehensive list of dual-class firms in the United States and use this list to analyze the relationship between insider ownership and firm value. Our data have two useful features. First, since dual-class stock separates cash-flow rights from voting... View Details

Keywords: Voting; Cash Flow; Stocks; Rights; Ownership Stake; Value; United States

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January 2011 (Revised June 2011)
Case

Fixed Income Arbitrage in a Financial Crisis (A): US Treasuries in November 2008

Investment manager James Franey confronts an apparent arbitrage opportunity during the global financial crisis of 2008 when he notices a wide yield spread between two U.S. Treasury bonds that mature on the same date. Franey must decide if there is an opportunity, how... View Details

Keywords: Bonds; Valuation; Interest Rates; Financial Crisis; Financial Services Industry; United States

June 2008
Supplement

Walt Disney Company's Sleeping Beauty Bonds - Duration Analysis - courseware

By: Carliss Y. Baldwin

Keywords: Bonds; Theory; Education; Information; Entertainment and Recreation Industry