The CTEF variable is used as the portfolio tilt variable in the ITG opti-
mization system using the BARRA risk model, and statistically significant
total excess returns are found in the Frank Russell universes (see Table
9.1). We create 100 stock portfolios monthly during the 1990–2001 pe-
riod. The R&D quadratic variable is created by dividing the annual Com-
pustat R&D expenditures by the corresponding monthly market
capitalization. The monthly information coefficient of the R&D variable is
statistically significant, having a mean of 0.005, with a t-value of 2.70,
over 245,411 observations. The imposition of the R&D quadratic term en-
hances total active return in most Frank Russell universes. Total active re-
turns rise by more than 230 basis points in the larger Russell 1000 stock
universe, with continued statistically significant asset selection, and an in-
creased risk index, due principally to earnings yield, size, and trading activ-
ity index exposures. Asset selection drops by 50 basis points in the Russell
1000 universe with the imposition of the R&D tilt, although its variability
also falls, such that its t-statistic on asset selection is constant. A similar re-
sult is found in the Russell 2000 universe.
The CTEF variable tilt with the R&D quadratic term produces 100
stock portfolios that have statistically significant loadings on the risk index
(see Table 9.2). The t-statistic of the risk index variables in the CTEF
model is 3.93, statistically significantly different from zero, as it exceeds
the critical 5 percent level of 1.96. The CTEF variable tilt and the R&D
quadratic variable produce statistically significant loadings on the earnings
yield index (t= 4.32) and the size index (t= 2.72), as was the case with the
Efficient Portfolio Optimization Results 239
TABLE 9.1 Risk and Return of Mean-Variance Efficient Portfolios, 1990–2001
Total Asset Risk
Universe Active T-Value Selection T-Value Index T-Value Sectors T-Value
RMC 1.98 1.37 0.99 0.86 0.97 1.45 –0.88 –0.97
RMCRD 7.07 2.80 2.97 2.06 0.60 0.93 1.33 0.85
R1000 2.47 2.52 1.85 2.12 0.82 2.13 –0.11 –0.23
R1000RD 4.71 2.88 1.35 2.12 2.20 3.93 0.65 0.70
R2500 7.76 4.37 6.48 3.96 1.61 2.85 –0.33 –0.62
R2500RD 9.77 2.91 4.46 1.79 0.52 0.54 2.73 1.65
R2000 9.68 5.83 8.81 5.57 0.90 2.36 –0.02 –0.07
R2000RD 9.17 5.18 7.01 4.98 1.06 2.84 0.86 1.00
RMC—Frank Russell mid-cap universe.
R1000—Frank Russell largest 1000 stock universe.
R2000—Frank Russell small-cap universe.
R2500—Frank Russell small and mid-cap universe.
RD—Imposition of the R&D quadratic variable.