We construct an index of firms' external finance constraints via generalized method of moments (GMM) estimation of an investment Euler equation. Unlike the commonly used KZ index, ours is consistent with firm characteristics associated with external finance constraints. Constrained firms' returns move together, suggesting the existence of a financial constraints factor. This factor earns a positive but insignificant average return. Much of the variation in this factor cannot be explained by the Fama-French and momentum factors. Cross-sectional regressions of returns on our index and other firm characteristics show that constrained firms earn higher returns and that the financial-constraints effect dominates the size effect.

Do external finance constraints affect the timing of large investment projects? Simulations of a model with fixed capital-stock adjustment costs establish the hypothesis that external finance constraints lower a firm's investment hazard: the probability of undertaking a large project today as a function of the time since the last project. Hazard model estimation that controls for productivity and adjustment costs supports this hypothesis. Small firms that distribute cash to shareholders have higher hazards than small firms that do not; very small firms have lower hazards than small firms; small stand-alone firms have significantly lower hazards than small segments of conglomerates.

We construct an index of firms' external finance constraints via generalized method of moments (GMM) estimation of an investment Euler equation. Unlike the commonly used KZ index, ours is consistent with firm characteristics associated with external finance constraints. Constrained firms' returns move together, suggesting the existence of a financial constraints factor. This factor earns a positive but insignificant average return. Much of the variation in this factor cannot be explained by the Fama--French and momentum factors. Cross-sectional regressions of returns on our index and other firm characteristics show that constrained firms earn higher returns and that the financial-constraints effect dominates the size effect.