Cost of capital dynamics implied by firm fundamentals

We provide a tractable stock valuation model to study the dynamics of discount rates using only two firm fundamentals: the book-to-market ratio and expected ROE. We find that the model is easily applied to a large cross section of firms and that firm-level discount rates vary over time and are highly persistent. The model can forecast stock returns up to three years into the future and tracks economic conditions. During normal or expansion periods in the economy, the dynamics of cost of capital generate an upward sloping term structure; however, in times of high economic uncertainty, the term structure flattens and can be downward sloping.