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Journal of Finance Vol. 74 No. 1 2019

Dividend Dynamics, Learning, and Expected Stock Index Returns

Ravi Jagannathan1; BINYING LIU2,3

1 Northwestern University · 2 RELX Group (Netherlands) · 3 University of Hong Kong

Abstract

We present a latent variable model of dividends that predicts, out‐of‐sample, 39.5% to 41.3% of the variation in annual dividend growth rates between 1975 and 2016. Further, when learning about dividend dynamics is incorporated into a long‐run risks model, the model predicts, out‐of‐sample, 25.3% to 27.1% of the variation in annual stock index returns over the same time horizon, with learning contributing approximately half of the predictability in returns. These findings support the view that investors' aversion to long‐run risks and their learning about these risks are important in determining stock index prices and expected returns.

DOI
10.1111/jofi.12731
Volume
74
Issue
1
Pages
401-448
Language
en
Sources
openalex bibtex:phds-export.bib crossref

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