Assessing Specification Errors in Stochastic Discount Factor Models

In this article, the authors develop alternative ways to compare asset pricing models when it is understood that their implied stochastic discount factors do not price all portfolios correctly. Unlike comparisons based on chi square statistics associated with null hypotheses that models are correct, the authors' measures of model performance do not reward variability of discount factor proxies. One of their measures is designed to exploit fully the implications of arbitrage-free pricing of derivative claims. The authors demonstrate empirically the usefulness of their methods in assessing some alternative stochastic factor models that have been proposed in asset pricing literature. Copyright 1997 by American Finance Association.