Estimating Standard Errors in Finance Panel Data Sets: Comparing Approaches

69 Pages Posted: 14 Aug 2012 Last revised: 29 Oct 2022

Multiple version iconThere are 3 versions of this paper

Date Written: April 2005

Abstract

In both corporate finance and asset pricing empirical work, researchers are often confronted with panel data. In these data sets, the residuals may be correlated across firms and across time, and OLS standard errors can be biased. Historically, the two literatures have used different solutions to this problem. Corporate finance has relied on Rogers standard errors, while asset pricing has used the Fama-MacBeth procedure to estimate standard errors. This paper will examine the different methods used in the literature and explain when the different methods yield the same (and correct) standard errors and when they diverge. The intent is to provide intuition as to why the different approaches sometimes give different answers and give researchers guidance for their use.

Suggested Citation

Petersen, Mitchell A., Estimating Standard Errors in Finance Panel Data Sets: Comparing Approaches (April 2005). NBER Working Paper No. w11280, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=711901

Mitchell A. Petersen (Contact Author)

Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management ( email )

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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) ( email )

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