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The Cross-Section of Expected Stock Returns

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Fama, Eugene F., French, Kenneth R.·1992·The Journal of Finance

Abstract

ABSTRACT Two easily measured variables, size and book‐to‐market equity, combine to capture the cross‐sectional variation in average stock returns associated with market β , size, leverage, book‐to‐market equity, and earnings‐price ratios. Moreover, when the tests allow for variation in β that is unrelated to size, the relation between market β and average return is flat, even when β is the only explanatory variable.

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  • The Fama and French (1992) HML and SMB factors are correlated.

    “For example, it is well known that two of the most popular factors, the Fama and French (1992) HML and SMB, are correlated.”

    From … and the Cross-Section of Expected Returns (2016) · cites this paper as Fama and French (1992)

    The discussion in “A. Rational Asset-Pricing Stories” reports a −0.26 correlation between firm size and book-to-market equity, not between returns on the HML and SMB factors. Searches for “HML SMB factors correlated” and “high minus low small minus big factor returns correlation” found no passage in our copy reporting the claimed factor correlation. (LLM, conf=0.77)

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Research works printed but not linked: 27

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Authors
Fama, E. F., & French, K. R.
Affiliations
University of Chicago (US)
Venue
The Journal of Finance
Publisher
JSTOR
Published
1992-06
Volume
47
Issue
2
Pages
427
ISSN
0022-1082 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2166215547
Cited by
17,259
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 181 · 2025: 512 · 2024: 721 · 2023: 766 · 2022: 698 · 2021: 791 · 2020: 747 · 2019: 740 · 2018: 709 · 2017: 785 · 2016: 799 · 2015: 895 · 2014: 877 · 2013: 828 · 2012: 906
FWCI
148.75
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The Journal of Finance (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Finance › Financial Markets and Investment Strategies
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Accounting › Financial Analysis and Corporate Governance
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Accounting › Corporate Finance and Governance
Keywords
cross-section of stock returns, size effect, book-to-market equity, market beta, leverage, earnings-to-price ratio, asset pricing anomalies, expected stock returns

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