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The "Size Premium" in Equity Markets: Where is the Risk?

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  • Stefano Ciliberti
  • Emmanuel S'eri'e
  • Guillaume Simon
  • Yves Lemp'eri`ere
  • Jean-Philippe Bouchaud

Abstract

We find that when measured in terms of dollar-turnover, and once $\beta$-neutralised and Low-Vol neutralised, the Size Effect is alive and well. With a long term t-stat of $5.1$, the "Cold-Minus-Hot" (CMH) anomaly is certainly not less significant than other well-known factors such as Value or Quality. As compared to market-cap based SMB, CMH portfolios are much less anti-correlated to the Low-Vol anomaly. In contrast with standard risk premia, size-based portfolios are found to be virtually unskewed. In fact, the extreme risk of these portfolios is dominated by the large cap leg; small caps actually have a positive (rather than negative) skewness. The only argument that favours a risk premium interpretation at the individual stock level is that the extreme drawdowns are more frequent for small cap/turnover stocks, even after accounting for volatility. This idiosyncratic risk is however clearly diversifiable.

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  • Stefano Ciliberti & Emmanuel S'eri'e & Guillaume Simon & Yves Lemp'eri`ere & Jean-Philippe Bouchaud, 2017. "The "Size Premium" in Equity Markets: Where is the Risk?," Papers 1708.00644, arXiv.org, revised Aug 2017.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:1708.00644
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    References listed on IDEAS

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