Pricing of Climate Risk Insurance: Regulation and Cross-Subsidies Abstract We study the consequences of state-level price (rate) regulation for U.S. homeowners’ insurance, a $15 trillion market that provides households protection against climate losses. Using two distinct identification strategies and novel data on regulatory filings and ZIP code level rates, we Read more…

An Anatomy of Retail Option Trading Abstract The recent surge in retail option trading has sparked concerns about gambling and significant losses. We study a novel account-level dataset of about $20 billion in retail trades over 2020 to 2022 to show that these concerns may be exaggerated. Option trades account Read more…

Uncertainty Creates Zombie Firms: Implications for Industry Dynamics and Creative Destruction Abstract We show how the threat of “uncertainty-induced zombification” — creditors’ willingness to keep their distressed borrowers alive when faced with uncertainty — shapes various industry  dynamics. Under a real options framework, we demonstrate that unlevered firms become reluctant Read more…

When Private Equity Comes to Town: The Local Economic Consequences of Rising Healthcare Costs Abstract We examine the effect of increased healthcare costs on local economic conditions. We use private equity (PE) buyouts of U.S. hospital systems as a shock to the healthcare costs faced by firms in affected areas. Read more…

Risk-Adjusting the Returns to Private Debt Funds Isil Erel, Thomas Flanagan, Michael Weisbach March 2024 Abstract Private debt funds are the fastest growing segment of the private capital market. We evaluate their risk-adjusted returns, applying a cash-flow based method to form a replicating portfolio that mimics their risk profiles. Using Read more…