DP10824 Investing in Systematic Factor Premiums

Author(s):	Kees Koedijk, Alfred Slager, Philip Stork
Publication Date:	September 2015
Keyword(s):	European data, factor investing, optimization, timing
JEL(s):	G11, G12, G15, G23
Programme Areas:	Financial Economics
Link to this Page:	cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=10824

In this paper we investigate and evaluate factor investing in the United States and Europe for equities and bonds. We show that factor-based portfolios generally produce comparable or better portfolios than market indices. We expand the analysis to other asset classes and factors, work with other optimization methods and add a basic liability structure. The results remain robust when we add real estate and commodities to equities and bonds. Also, the results are not dependent to the removal of a specific factor. Finally, we study the results for a worldwide investor who invests beyond the US and Europe. Over the longer term and with consistently applied factor diversification, factor investing appears to be advantageous.