Judging by the sheer number of papers reviewed in this Handbook, the empirical analysis of firms' financing and investment decisions-empirical corporate finance-has become a dominant field in financial economics. The growing interest in everything "corporate" is fueled by a healthy combination of fundamental theoretical developments and recent widespread access to large transactional data bases. A less scientific-but nevertheless important-source of inspiration is a growing awareness of the important social implications of corporate behavior and governance. This Handbook takes stock of the main empirical findings to date across an unprecedented spectrum of corporate finance issues, ranging from econometric methodology, to raising capital and capital structure choice, and to managerial incentives and corporate investment behavior. The surveys are written by leading empirical researchers that remain active in their respective areas of interest. With few exceptions, the writing style makes the chapters accessible to industry practitioners. For doctoral students and seasoned academics, the surveys offer dense roadmaps into the empirical research landscape and provide suggestions for future work.
*The Handbooks in Finance series offers a broad group of outstanding volumes in various areas of finance
*Each individual volume in the series should present an accurate self-contained survey of a sub-field of finance
*The series is international in scope with contributions from field leaders the world over

This second volume of a two-part series examines three major topics. First, it devotes five chapters to the classical issue of capital structure choice. Second, it focuses on the value-implications of major corporate investment and restructuring decisions, and then concludes by surveying the role of pay-for-performance type executive compensation contracts on managerial incentives and risk-taking behavior.
In collaboration with the first volume, this handbook takes stock of the main empirical findings to date across an unprecedented spectrum of corporate finance issues. The surveys are written by leading empirical researchers that remain active in their respective areas of interest. With few exceptions, the writing style makes the chapters accessible to industry practitioners. For doctoral students and seasoned academics, the surveys offer dense roadmaps into the empirical research landscape and provide suggestions for future work.
* Nine original chapters summarize research advances and future topics in the classical issues of capital structure choice, corporate investment behavior, and firm value.
* Multinational comparisons underline the volume's empirical perspectives
* Complements the presentation of econometric issues, banking, and capital acquisition research covered by Volume 1

It is now a well-know fact that mergers and acquisitions activity comes in waves. The most recent wave, the 5th takeover wave of the 1990s, was characterized by an unprecedented number of corporate restructurings in terms of mergers and acquisitions (M&As), public-to-private transactions, spin-offs and divestitures, and leveraged recapitalizations. Following the collapse of the stock market in March 2000, M&A activity slumped dramatically, but this pause ended in the second half of 2004 when takeover deals occurred again quite frequently. Indeed, some observers wonder whether the 6th takeover wave has started. The takeover wave in the 1990s was particularly remarkable in terms of size and geographical dispersion. For the first time, Continental European firms were as eager to participate as their US and UK counterparts, and M&A activity in Europe hit levels similar to those experienced in the US. Due to its financial impact and the unprecedented activity in Continental Europe, the 5th takeover wave of the 1990s and recent takeover activity (in biotech, utilities, pharmaceuticals) have triggered a great deal of interesting academic research. This volume brings together a selection of insightful papers. An impressive group of international authors address the following themes: takeover regulation; the cyclical pattern of the M&A markets and probable causes and effects; methods to determine the performance of success of M&A actions; cross border deals; means of payment and its effects; studies of hostile bids; high leverage takeovers and delistings.
*A selection of the best and latest quantitative research on M&A activity worldwide
*Impressive collection of international authors
*Provides important insights and implications for practitioners

The Handbooks in Finance are intended to be a definitive source for comprehensive and accessible information in the field of finance. Each individual volume in the series should present an accurate self-contained survey of a sub-field of finance, suitable for use by finance and economics professors and lecturers, professional researchers, graduate students and as a teaching supplement. The goal is to have a broad group of outstanding volumes in various areas of finance. The Handbook of Heavy Tailed Distributions in Finance is the first handbook to be published in this series.

This volume presents current research focusing on heavy tailed distributions in finance. The contributions cover methodological issues, i.e., probabilistic, statistical and econometric modelling under non- Gaussian assumptions, as well as the applications of the stable and other non -Gaussian models in finance and risk management.

This research annual publication intends to bring together investment analysis and portfolio theory and their implementation to portfolio management. It seeks theoretical and empirical research manuscripts with high quality in the area of investment and portfolio analysis. The contents will consist of original research on: The principles of portfolio management of equities and fixed-income securities. The evaluation of portfolios (or mutual funds) of common stocks, bonds, international assets, and options. The dynamic process of portfolio management. Strategies of international investments and portfolio management. The applications of useful and important analytical techniques such as mathematics, econometrics, statistics, and computers in the field of investment and portfolio management. Theoretical research related to options and futures. In addition, it also contains articles that present and examine new and important accounting, financial, and economic data for managing and evaluating portfolios of risky assets.

With about $450 billion in assets, funds of hedge funds are the most recent darling of investors. While hedge funds carry high risk for the promise of high returns they are designed for the very rich and for large institutional investors such as pension funds. A Fund of Hedge Funds (FOF) spreads investments among a number of hedge funds to reduce risk and provide diversification, while maintaining the potential for higher than average returns. Odds are that some pension fund of yours is invested heavily in these products, and more recently these FOFs have been opened to more and more individual investors in offshore jurisdictions with lower minimum entry levels. Since this is a new and extremely fast-moving financial phenomenon, academic research has just begun in earnest, and this is the first book to present rigorous academic research by some of the leading lights in academic finance, carefully analyzing the broad array of issues involved in FOFs.
* With over $450 billion in assets, hedge funds of funds are the darling of investors
* First book to present rigorous academic research about funds of funds
* Leading lights in academic finance from around the world analyze the broad array of issues involved in funds of funds

This first volume of the Handbook of Asset and Liability Management presents the theories and methods supporting models that align a firm's operations and tactics with its uncertain environment. Detailing the symbiosis between optimization tools and financial decision-making, its original articles cover term and volatility structures, interest rates, risk-return analysis, dynamic asset allocation strategies in discrete and continuous time, the use of stochastic programming models, bond portfolio management, and the Kelly capital growth theory and practice. They effectively set the scene for Volume Two by showing how the management of risky assets and uncertain liabilities within an integrated, coherent framework remains the core problem for both financial institutions and other business enterprises as well.
*Each volume presents an accurate survey of a sub-field of finance
*Fills a substantial gap in this field
*Broad in scope

After the cooling off of IPOs since the dot com bubble, Google has rekindled the fire for IPOs. This IPO reader contains new articles exclusive to this reader by leading academics from around the world dealing with quantitative and qualitative analyses of this increasingly popular and important area of finance. Articles address new methods of IPO performance, international IPOs, IPO evaluation, IPO underwriting, evaluation and bookbuilding. Although numerous articles are technical in nature, with econometric and statistical models, particular attention has been directed towards the understanding and the applicability of the results as well as theoretical development in this area. This reader will assist researchers, academics, and graduate students to further understand the latest research on IPOs.
*Interest in IPOs is increasing again after the Google IPO, and IPOs are up significantly from last year
*Chapters by well known academics provide an international perspective, describing research results from IPO data in countries spanning the globe
*Research is based on real results from IPO data collected over the past 5-7 years

The growth of financial intermediation research has yielded a host of questions that have pushed "design" issues to the fore even as the boundary between financial intermediation and corporate finance has blurred. This volume presents review articles on six major topics that are connected by information-theoretic tools and characterized by valuable perspectives and important questions for future research. Touching upon a wide range of issues pertaining to the designs of securities, institutions, trading mechanisms and markets, industry structure, and regulation, this volume will encourage bold new efforts to shape financial intermediaries in the future.
* Original review articles offer valuable perspectives on research issues appearing in top journals
* Twenty articles are grouped by six major topics, together defining the leading research edge of financial intermediation
* Corporate finance researchers will find affinities in the tools, methods, and conclusions featured in these articles

Until recently, only the United States had an active venture capital market. This is changing rapidly, as many other countries have experienced rapid growth in venture capital financing over the past five years. This book contains new scientific articles showcasing the latest research on venture capital in Europe. Venture capital investment remains a hot topic with portfolio managers, individual investors, academics worldwide. This book examines in detail all the major issues regarding venture capital investment: contracting, financing, regulation, valuation, etc. and identifies new trends in the venture capital arena.
Features a foreword by Josh Lerner.
*The only book in which academics from around the world present the latest research on venture capital in Europe
*Covers all of Europe as well as including overview papers about venture capital industry, public and private venture capital, valuation, financing, contracting, structuring, regulation, etc.
*Comprehensive, authoritative coverage

Computational Finance presents a modern computational approach to mathematical finance within the Windows environment, and contains financial algorithms, mathematical proofs and computer code in C/C++. The author illustrates how numeric components can be developed which allow financial routines to be easily called by the complete range of Windows applications, such as Excel, Borland Delphi, Visual Basic and Visual C++.
These components permit software developers to call mathematical finance functions more easily than in corresponding packages. Although these packages may offer the advantage of interactive interfaces, it is not easy or computationally efficient to call them programmatically as a component of a larger system. The components are therefore well suited to software developers who want to include finance routines into a new application.
Typical readers are expected to have a knowledge of calculus, differential equations, statistics, Microsoft Excel, Visual Basic, C++ and HTML.
A CD-ROM is included which contains: working computer code, demonstration applications and also pdf versions of several research articles.
* Enables reader to incorporate advanced financial modelling techniques in Windows compatible software
* Aids the development of bespoke software solutions covering GARCH volatility modelling, derivative pricing with Partial Differential Equations, VAR, bond and stock options
* Includes CD-ROM with adaptive software

The Handbooks in Finance are intended to be a definitive source for comprehensive and accessible information in the field of finance. Each individual volume in the series presents an accurate self-contained survey of a sub-field of finance, suitable for use by finance and economics professors and lecturers, professional researchers, graduate students and as a teaching supplement.
It is fitting that the series Handbooks in Finance devotes a handbook to Asset and Liability Management. Volume 2 focuses on applications and case studies in asset and liability management.
The growth in knowledge about practical asset and liability modeling has followed the popularity of these models in diverse business settings. This volume portrays ALM in practice, in contrast to Volume 1, which addresses the theories and methodologies behind these models. In original articles practitioners and scholars describe and analyze models used in banking, insurance, money management, individual investor financial planning, pension funds, and social security. They put the traditional purpose of ALM, to control interest rate and liquidity risks, into rich and broad-minded frameworks. Readers interested in other business settings will find their discussions of financial institutions both instructive and revealing.
* Focuses on pragmatic applications
* Relevant to a variety of risk-management industries
* Analyzes models used in most financial sectors

Edited by Rajnish Mehra, this volume focuses on the equity risk premium puzzle, a term coined by Mehra and Prescott in 1985 which encompasses a number of empirical regularities in the prices of capital assets that are at odds with the predictions of standard economic theory.

These three volumes present the full complexity of the history, practices, and outlook of 21st century global financial integration. "The Handbook of Key Global Financial Markets, Institutions, and Infrastructure" explores the growth of markets, intermediaries, rights, practices, and standards worldwide. "The Evidence and Impact of Financial Globalization" devotes separate articles to specific crises, the conditions that cause them, and the longstanding arrangements devised to address them. The "Handbook of Safeguarding Global Financial Stability" examines our political economy, particularly the ways in which formal and informal policies as well as financial theories and technical models inhabit our institutions, strategies, and tactics. For those seeking substantial, authoritative descriptions and summaries, these volumes will replace books, journals, and other information sources with a coherent, easy-to-use reference work.
Reveals and analyzes examples of financial integration in both triumph and crisis Features international perspectives on strategies and tactics for resolving crises Concentrates on economic and financial topics without introducing broader cultural subjects

Its high-level perspective on the global economy differentiates this introduction to international finance from other textbooks. Melvin and Norrbin provide essential information for those who seek employment in multinational industries, while competitors focus onstandard economic tools and financial management skills. Readers learn how to reach their own conclusions about trends and new developments, not simply function within an organization. The 8th edition, newly updated and expanded, offers concise descriptions, current case studies, andnew pedagogical materials to help readers make sense of global finance.
Introduces international finance to readers with diverse backgrounds who want jobs in international investment, international banking, and multinational corporations Describes a nuanced view of international finance by drawing on material from the fields of theoretical finance and international macro-financeFeatures 100% revised chapters, new pedagogical content, and online supplementary materials "

The remarkable evolution of econophysics research has brought the deep synthesis of ideas derived from economics and physicsto subjects as diverse as education, banking, finance, and the administration of large institutions. The original papers in this collection present a broad summary of these advances, written by interdisciplinary specialists. Included are studies on subjects in the development of econophysics; on the perspectives offered by econophysics on large problems in economics and finance, including the 2008-9 financial crisis; and on higher education and group decision making. The introductions and insights they provide will benefit everyone interested in applications of this new transdisciplinary science.
Ten papers present an updated version of the origins, issues, and applications of econophysics Economics and finance chapters consider lessons learned from the 2008-9 financial crisis Sociophysics chapters propose new thinking on educational reforms and group decision making"

A selection of republished corporate finance articles and book chapters that can serve as an advanced corporate finance supplementary text for courses that use no textbooks. Combining convenience and an affordable price with retypeset pages and a high-quality index, the 600 pages of volume two, "Bidding Strategies, Financing, and Corporate Control," focus on a range of special topics, ranging from theories and evidence on strategic bidding behavior (offer premiums, toeholds, bidder competition, winner s curse adjustments, and managerial overconfidence), issues arising when bidding for targets in bankruptcy auctions, effects of deal protection devices (termination agreements, poison pills), role of large shareholder voting in promoting takeover gains, deal financing issues (such as raising the cash used to pay for the target), managerial incentive effects of takeovers, governance spillovers from cross-border mergers, and returns to merger arbitrage. Including an index and new introduction, this volume will simplify and facilitate students interaction with new concepts and applications.
Provides a status report about modern scientific evidence on corporate takeoversExposes students to new methods and empirical evidence while reading high quality primary materialOffers a concise and cost-efficient package of journal and book articles for advanced corporate finance students"

This bookdescribes computational financetools. It covers fundamental numerical analysis and computational techniques, such asoption pricing, and givesspecial attention tosimulation and optimization. Many chapters are organized as case studies aroundportfolio insurance and risk estimation problems. In particular, several chapters explain optimization heuristics and how to use them for portfolio selection and in calibration of estimation and option pricing models. Such practical examples allow readers to learn the steps for solving specific problems and apply these steps to others. At the same time, the applications are relevant enough to make the book a useful reference. Matlab and R sample code is provided in the text and can be downloaded from the book's website.
Shows ways to build and implement tools that help test ideasFocuses on the application of heuristics; standard methods receive limited attentionPresents as separate chapters problems from portfolio optimization, estimation of econometric models, and calibration of option pricing models"

How can private equity investors exploit investment opportunities in foreign markets? Peter Cornelius uses a proprietary database to investigate and describeprivate equity markets worldwide, revealing their levels of integration, their risks, and the ways that investors can mitigate those risks. In three major sections that concentrate on the risk and return profile of private equity, the growth dynamics of discrete markets and geographies, and opportunities for private equity investments, he offers hard-to-find analyses that fill knowledge gaps about foreign markets. Observing that despite the progressive dismantling of barriers investors are still home-biased, he demonstrates that a methodical approach to understanding foreign private equity markets can take advantage of the macroeconomic and structural factors that drive supply and demand dynamics in individual markets.
Foreword by Josh LernerTeaches readers how to investigate and analyze foreign private equity marketsForecasts private equity investment opportunities via macroeconomic and structural factors in individual marketsDraws ondata froma proprietary database covering 250 buyout and VC fundsand 7,000 portfolio companies."

More efficient credit portfolio engineering can increase the decision-making power of bankers and boost the market value of their banks. By implementing robust risk management procedures, bankers can develop comprehensive views of obligors by integrating fundamental and market data into a portfolio framework that treats all instruments similarly. Banks that can implement strategies for uncovering credit risk investments with the highest return per unit of risk can confidently build their businesses.

Through chapters on fundamental analysis and credit administration, authors Morton Glantz and Johnathan Mun teach readers how to improve their credit skills and develop logical decision-making processes. As readers acquire new abilities to calculate risks and evaluate portfolios, they learn how credit risk strategies and policies can affect and be affected by credit ratings and global exposure tracking systems. The result is a book that facilitates the discipline of market-oriented portfolio management in the face of unending changes in the financial industry.
Concentrates on the practical implementation of credit engineering strategies and tools Demonstrates how bankers can use portfolio analytics to increase their insights about different groups of obligorsInvestigates ways to improve a portfolio s return on risk while minimizing probability of insolvency"

A selection of republished corporate finance articles and book chapters that can serve as an advanced corporate finance supplementary text for courses that use no textbooks. Combining convenience and an affordable price with retypeset pages and a high-quality index, the 600 pages of volume one, "Takeover Activity, Valuation Estimates and Sources of Merger Gains," focus on classical issues such as the existence and source of merger waves, empirical estimates of takeover announcement returns and the division of takeover gains between bidders and targets, and tests for potential sources of takeover gains (primarily involving estimation of industry wealth effects of takeovers), introducing students to modern scientific evidence about corporate takeovers. Including an index and new introduction, this volume will simplify and facilitate students interaction with new concepts and applications.
Provides a status report about modern scientific evidence on corporate takeoversExposes students to new methods and empirical evidence while reading high quality primary materialOffers a concise and cost-efficient package of journal and book articles for advanced corporate finance students"

The most common way of constructing portfolios is to use traditional asset allocation strategies, which match the client s risk appetite to a weighted allocation strategy of fixed income, equities, and other types of assets. This method focuses on how the money is allocated, rather than on future returns.
The Sortino method presents an innovative change from this traditional approach. Rather than using the client s risk as the main factor, this method uses the client s desired return.
Only book to describe the Sortino method and Desired Target Return in a way that enables portfolio managers to adopt the method
Software to implement the portfolio construction method is included free of charge to book buyers on a password protected Elsevier website. Book buyers can use the software to construct portfolios using this method right away, in real time. They can also load in their current portfolios and measure them against these measures.
The Sortino method has been tested over 20 years at the Pension Research Institute. Portfolio managers can be confident of the success of the method, even returns in the economic crisis, in whichthe method has still beaten all S&P benchmarks."