Faculty Directory
Kenneth R. French
Roth Family Distinguished Professor of Finance
E-Mailkenneth.r.french@tuck.dartmouth.edu
Phone603-646-0797
DegreeBS, Lehigh University, 1975; MBA, University of Rochester, 1978; MS, University of Rochester, 1981; PhD, University of Rochester, 1983
AREAS OF EXPERTISEPortfolio theory, asset pricing, dividend policy, capital structure
Current Research Topics
Risk and return in domestic and international financial markets, cost of capital, financial regulation, capital structure
Selected Publications
With E. Fama, "Dividend Yields and Expected Stock Returns," Journal of Financial Economics, 1988; with J. Poterba, "Investor Diversification and International Equity Markets," American Economic Review, 1991; with E. Fama, "Common Risk Factors in the Returns on Stocks and Bonds," Journal of Financial Economics, 1993; with E. Fama, "Taxes, Financing Decisions, and Firm Value," Journal of Finance, 1998; with E. Fama, "Disappearing Dividends: Changing Firm Characteristics or Lower Propensity to Pay?", Journal of Financial Economics, 2001; with E. Fama, "Disagreements, Tastes, and Asset Pricing," Journal of Financial Economics, 2006; "The Cost of Active Investing," Journal of Finance, 2008; with E. Fama, "Luck versus Skill in the Cross Section of Mutual Fund Returns," Journal of Finance, 2010; with the Squam Lake Group, "The Squam Lake Report: Fixing the Financial System," Princeton University Press, 2010
Working Papers
With E. Fama, "The Pecking Order, Opportunistic Financing, and the Mean Reversion of Leverage"; with E. Fama, "Size, Value, and Momentum in International Stock Returns"
Professional Activities
Academic positions: Research Fellow, Foundation for Research in Economics and Education, University of California, Los Angeles, 1982–83; Assistant Professor, 1983–85, Associate Professor, 1985–87, Professor of Finance, 1987–89, Chicago Mercantile Exchange Professor of Finance, 1989–91, Director, Center for Research in Security Prices, 1989–94, Leo Melamed Professor of Finance, 1991–94, The University of Chicago; David T. McLaughlin Visiting Professor of Finance, Tuck School of Business, 1993–94; Edwin J. Beinecke Professor of Management Studies and Finance, Yale University, 1994–98; Managing Director, International Center for Finance, Yale School of Management, 1994–98; NTU Professor of Finance, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1998–2001; Tuck School of Business, 2001–present
Nonacademic positions: Machine Design Engineer, Eastman Kodak Co., 1975–77
Board memberships: Director, 1991–94, 2003–09, President, 2007–08, American Finance Association; Board of Overseers, International Rescue Committee, 2005–present; Board of Directors, Dimensional Fund Advisors, 2006–present; Board of Governors, The Smile Train, 2008–2011
Editorial positions: Advisory Editor, Journal of Financial Economics, Journal of Banking and Finance
Research & Teaching Summary
Through influential empirical studies, Kenneth French has established himself as a leading thinker in corporate finance and financial markets. He has served as director and president of the American Finance Association and is a board member and director of investment policy of Dimensional Fund Advisors. Professor French teaches the elective course Investments.