Book Description

This dissertation explores the importance of firm valuation ratios (or stock price multiples) in predicting returns in international markets. This characteristic has been documented by literature as the value premium. In Chapter 2, "Warranted Multiples and Future Returns" joint with Sanjeev Bhojraj and David Ng, we look into the U.S. stock market and examine whether adjusted stock multiples can lead to higher predictability in stock returns. We adjust stock multiples by common economic factors and find that the adjusted price multiples can explain future returns better than unadjusted price multiples. In Chapter 3, "Country, Industry and Idiosyncratic Components in Valuation Ratios" joint with Sanjeev Bhojraj and David Ng, we examine the importance of country, industry and firm-idiosyncratic components in firm valuation ratios with a sample from 33 countries. We find that firm valuation ratios are largely affected by country membership. However, we confirm that firmidiosyncratic component in a firm valuation ratio leads the returns predictability, i.e. higher level of value premium. In Chapter 4, "Can the Long-Run Risks Explain the International Value Premium? Evidence Using Last Century Data", I examine where the value premium is coming from. I explore in depth whether the long-run risks model, a recently introduced asset pricing model, can explain the value premium in 17 developed countries.