Working Papers

Security Design under Common-Value Competition​ [SSRN] [slides] 

Revise and Resubmit, Econometrica

FTG Best Paper in Finance Theory on the Job Market, 2021

WFA PhD Candidate Award for Outstanding Research, 2021

Abstract: Securities are often designed under competition. This paper studies bidders' security designs when they compete for a common-value investment opportunity. Out of a wide range of securities, bidders offer debt financing, the security family with the lowest information sensitivity. Their choice is driven by the presence of informed competitors. First, debt better protects a bidder against the winner's curse. Second, since the entrepreneur can update about the project quality from bidders' offers, a debt offer, compared with other securities, is more often accepted when the entrepreneur's belief about the project is positive. The result is in stark contrast to security design by monopolistic agents, as well as to DeMarzo, Kremer, and Skrzypacz (2005)'s result under private-value competition.

Presentations:  Five Star Workshop, NYU Shanghai, FTG Fall Meeting, OxFIT, University of Rochester, EEA-ESEM, CMES, AMES, WFA, Barcelona GSE Summer Forum, City University of Hong Kong, UCL, New Economic School, Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, SAIF, HEC Lausanne, Copenhagen Business School, University of Mannheim (Department of Economics), Tsinghua PBCSF, Chinese University of Hong Kong, University of Washington Foster, University of Amsterdam, Tsinghua SEM, EEA-ESWM, Corporate Finance Day, LSE

Share Issues versus Share Repurchases, with Philip Bond and Hongda Zhong [SSRN] [slides]

Abstract: Almost all firms repurchase shares through open market repurchase (OMR) programs. In contrast, issue methods are more diverse: both at-the-market offerings, analogous to OMR programs, and SEOs, analogous to the rarely-used tender-offer repurchases are used by significant fractions of firms. Moreover, average SEOs are larger than at-the-market offerings. We show that this asymmetry in the diversity of transaction methods in issuances and repurchases and the size-method relation in issuances are natural consequences of the single informational friction of a firm having superior information to investors. Finally, repurchasing firms are likely maximizing long-term shareholders' payoffs rather than boosting short-term share prices. 

Presentations:  Renmin University of China, AFA, SFS Cavalcade Asia-Pacific (scheduled), University of Rochester*, Corporate Finance Day*, EFA, BSE Summer Forum, FTG Summer Meeting, Esade Spring Workshop, Tsinghua PBCSF, SGF Conference, CICF, LSE

Security Design under Two-Sided Asymmetric Information [slides]

Abstract: This paper studies a model in which a firm organizes a security-bid auction when both the firm and investors have private information. Two-sided asymmetric information is novel to the literature, which has been focused on one-sided private information. The firm aims at both signaling high valuation to investors and intensifying competition among investors to reduce their informational rent. In equilibrium, all types of the firm pool on requiring payments in the most information-sensitive security family.

Presentations: FIRS, EEA-ESWM

Teaching

Lecturer, Tsinghua, 2021-23

Advanced Theories of Corporate Finance (PhD)

Teaching Assistant, LSE, 2016-21

FM212 Principles of Finance (undergraduate)

FM409 Risk Management in Financial Markets (master)

FM430 Asset Markets (master)

FM441 Derivatives (master)

FM473 Financial Markets (master)

Teaching Assistant, LSE Summer School, 2016-18

FM230 Alternative Investments

FM250 Finance

FM350 Advanced Corporate Finance

FN209 Corporate Finance in a Global World