IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finana/v78y2021ics1057521921002556.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Mean-variance versus utility maximization revisited: The case of constant relative risk aversion

Author

Listed:
  • Kassimatis, Konstantinos

Abstract

We examine if mean-variance (M-V) is a good proxy for portfolios based on the Constant Relative Risk Aversion (CRRA) utility function. M-V portfolios are considered good proxies for portfolios from several utility functions which is why they are routinely used in the portfolio theory literature as the benchmark. Our results clearly show this is not the case. Low risk CRRA portfolios are in many cases very different to M-V portfolios, especially with respect to downside risk. If a risk-free asset is available, in many cases, no M-V portfolio is an adequate proxy for CRRA portfolios. The implications of our findings are that: i) M-V portfolios are a poor proxy for investors with CRRA preferences, ii) CRRA portfolios are more suited to investors who care about downside risk than M-V portfolios, and iii) the efficacy of M-V to proxy for utility maximization should be examined more thoroughly.

Suggested Citation

  • Kassimatis, Konstantinos, 2021. "Mean-variance versus utility maximization revisited: The case of constant relative risk aversion," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finana:v:78:y:2021:i:c:s1057521921002556
    DOI: 10.1016/j.irfa.2021.101932
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1057521921002556
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.irfa.2021.101932?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Clark, Ephraim & Jokung, Octave & Kassimatis, Konstantinos, 2011. "Making inefficient market indices efficient," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 209(1), pages 83-93, February.
    2. J. G. Kallberg & W. T. Ziemba, 1983. "Comparison of Alternative Utility Functions in Portfolio Selection Problems," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(11), pages 1257-1276, November.
    3. John H. Cochrane, 2014. "A Mean-Variance Benchmark for Intertemporal Portfolio Theory," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 69(1), pages 1-49, February.
    4. Harry M. Markowitz, 2010. "Portfolio Theory: As I Still See It," Annual Review of Financial Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 2(1), pages 1-23, December.
    5. Yusif Simaan, 1993. "What is the Opportunity Cost of Mean-Variance Investment Strategies?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(5), pages 578-587, May.
    6. Çanakoglu, Ethem & Özekici, Süleyman, 2010. "Portfolio selection in stochastic markets with HARA utility functions," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 201(2), pages 520-536, March.
    7. Harry Markowitz, 1952. "Portfolio Selection," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 7(1), pages 77-91, March.
    8. Ang, Andrew & Bekaert, Geert & Liu, Jun, 2005. "Why stocks may disappoint," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(3), pages 471-508, June.
    9. Gul, Faruk, 1991. "A Theory of Disappointment Aversion," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 59(3), pages 667-686, May.
    10. Markowitz, Harry, 2014. "Mean–variance approximations to expected utility," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 234(2), pages 346-355.
    11. James E. Hodder & Jens Carsten Jackwerth & Olga Kolokolova, 2015. "Improved Portfolio Choice Using Second-Order Stochastic Dominance," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 19(4), pages 1623-1647.
    12. Neil Stewart & Stian Reimers & Adam J. L. Harris, 2015. "On the Origin of Utility, Weighting, and Discounting Functions: How They Get Their Shapes and How to Change Their Shapes," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 61(3), pages 687-705, March.
    13. Mehra, Rajnish & Prescott, Edward C., 1985. "The equity premium: A puzzle," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 145-161, March.
    14. repec:bla:jfinan:v:59:y:2004:i:1:p:407-446 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Aleš Černý, 2003. "Generalised Sharpe Ratios and Asset Pricing in Incomplete Markets," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 7(2), pages 191-233.
    16. Björn Hagströmer & Richard G. Anderson & Jane M. Binner & Thomas Elger & Birger Nilsson, 2008. "Mean–Variance Versus Full‐Scale Optimization: Broad Evidence For The Uk," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 76(s1), pages 134-156, September.
    17. Jackwerth, Jens Carsten, 2000. "Recovering Risk Aversion from Option Prices and Realized Returns," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 13(2), pages 433-451.
    18. Pulley, Lawrence B, 1985. "Mean-Variance versus Direct Utility Maximization: A Comment," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 40(2), pages 601-602, June.
    19. Pulley, Lawrence B., 1981. "A General Mean-Variance Approximation to Expected Utility for Short Holding Periods," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(3), pages 361-373, September.
    20. Lawrence B. Pulley, 1983. "Mean-Variance Approximations to Expected Logarithmic Utility," Operations Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(4), pages 685-696, August.
    21. Reid, Donald W & Tew, Bernard V, 1986. "Mean-Variance versus Direct Utility Maximization: A Comment," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 41(5), pages 1177-1179, December.
    22. Hanqing Jin & Harry Markowitz & Xun Yu Zhou, 2006. "A Note On Semivariance," Mathematical Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(1), pages 53-61, January.
    23. Jérôme Detemple, 2014. "Portfolio Selection: A Review," Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications, Springer, vol. 161(1), pages 1-21, April.
    24. Friend, Irwin & Blume, Marshall E, 1975. "The Demand for Risky Assets," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 65(5), pages 900-922, December.
    25. Kroll, Yoram & Levy, Haim & Markowitz, Harry M, 1984. "Mean-Variance versus Direct Utility Maximization," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 39(1), pages 47-61, March.
    26. Levy, H & Markowtiz, H M, 1979. "Approximating Expected Utility by a Function of Mean and Variance," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 69(3), pages 308-317, June.
    27. Haim Shalit & Shlomo Yitzhaki, 1994. "Marginal Conditional Stochastic Dominance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 40(5), pages 670-684, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Xu, Peng, 2024. "Testing out-of-sample portfolio performance using second-order stochastic dominance constrained optimization approach," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PA).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Simaan, Majeed & Simaan, Yusif & Tang, Yi, 2018. "Estimation error in mean returns and the mean-variance efficient frontier," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 109-124.
    2. Markowitz, Harry, 2014. "Mean–variance approximations to expected utility," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 234(2), pages 346-355.
    3. Joseph R. Blasi & Douglas L. Kruse & Harry M. Markowitz, 2010. "Risk and Lack of Diversification under Employee Ownership and Shared Capitalism," NBER Chapters, in: Shared Capitalism at Work: Employee Ownership, Profit and Gain Sharing, and Broad-based Stock Options, pages 105-136, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Alessandra Carleo & Francesco Cesarone & Andrea Gheno & Jacopo Maria Ricci, 2017. "Approximating exact expected utility via portfolio efficient frontiers," Decisions in Economics and Finance, Springer;Associazione per la Matematica, vol. 40(1), pages 115-143, November.
    5. Harry Markowitz & Joseph Blasi & Douglas Kruse, 2010. "Employee stock ownership and diversification," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 176(1), pages 95-107, April.
    6. Estada, Javier, 2003. "Mean-semivariance behavior: An alternative behavioral model," IESE Research Papers D/492, IESE Business School.
    7. John R. Birge & Luis Chavez-Bedoya, 2016. "Portfolio optimization under a generalized hyperbolic skewed t distribution and exponential utility," Quantitative Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(7), pages 1019-1036, July.
    8. Levy, Haim & Simaan, Yusif, 2016. "More possessions, more worry," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 255(3), pages 893-902.
    9. Lassance, Nathan, 2022. "Reconciling mean-variance portfolio theory with non-Gaussian returns," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 297(2), pages 729-740.
    10. Emmanuel Jurczenko & Bertrand Maillet & Paul Merlin, 2008. "Efficient Frontier for Robust Higher-order Moment Portfolio Selection," Post-Print halshs-00336475, HAL.
    11. Haim Levy, 2010. "The CAPM is Alive and Well: A Review and Synthesis," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 16(1), pages 43-71, January.
    12. Guiso, Luigi & Sodini, Paolo, 2013. "Household Finance: An Emerging Field," Handbook of the Economics of Finance, in: G.M. Constantinides & M. Harris & R. M. Stulz (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Finance, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 1397-1532, Elsevier.
    13. Eric Jondeau & Michael Rockinger, 2005. "Conditional Asset Allocation under Non-Normality: How Costly is the Mean-Variance Criterion?," FAME Research Paper Series rp132, International Center for Financial Asset Management and Engineering.
    14. Michenaud, Sébastien & Solnik, Bruno, 2008. "Applying regret theory to investment choices: Currency hedging decisions," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 677-694, September.
    15. David Johnstone, 2002. "Behavioral and Prescriptive Explanations of a Reverse Sunk Cost Effect," Theory and Decision, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 209-242, November.
    16. Salo, Ahti & Doumpos, Michalis & Liesiö, Juuso & Zopounidis, Constantin, 2024. "Fifty years of portfolio optimization," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 318(1), pages 1-18.
    17. George Samartzis & Nikitas Pittis, 2022. "On The Equivalence Of The Mean Variance Criterion And Stochastic Dominance Criteria," Papers 2211.01240, arXiv.org.
    18. Gourieroux, C. & Jouneau, F., 1999. "Econometrics of efficient fitted portfolios," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 6(1), pages 87-118, January.
    19. Alexandros Kostakis & Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou & George Skiadopoulos, 2011. "Market Timing with Option-Implied Distributions: A Forward-Looking Approach," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 57(7), pages 1231-1249, July.
    20. Felix Brinkmann & Olaf Korn, 2018. "Risk-adjusted option-implied moments," Review of Derivatives Research, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 149-173, July.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Utility maximization; Constant relative risk aversion; Mean-variance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C61 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Optimization Techniques; Programming Models; Dynamic Analysis
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:finana:v:78:y:2021:i:c:s1057521921002556. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/620166 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.