Randolph B. Cohen

Randolph B. (Randy) Cohen is a Senior Lecturer in the Finance Unit at Harvard Business School.

Cohen's main research focus is the interface between the actions of institutional investors and price levels in the stock market. Cohen has studied the differential reactions of institutions and individuals to news about firms and the economy, as well as the effect of institutional trading on stock prices. He also has researched the identification of top investment managers and the prediction of manager performance, as well as studying the market for municipal securities. 

In addition to his academic work, Cohen has helped to start and grow a number of investment management firms, and has served as a consultant to many others.

Cohen holds an AB in mathematics from Harvard College and a PhD in finance from the University of Chicago.

Working Papers

• Cohen, Randolph B., Brian J. Hall, and Luis M. Viceira. "Do Executive Stock Options Encourage Risk-Taking?" 2000. View Details
• Antón, Miguel, Randolph B. Cohen, and Christopher Polk. "Best Ideas." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 21-004, June 2020. View Details
• Cohen, Randolph, Joshua Coval, and Lubo Pástor. "Judging Fund Managers by the Company They Keep." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 04-023, November 2003. View Details

Cases and Teaching Materials

• Cohen, Randolph B., Carin-Isabel Knoop, and Mel Martin. "Twitter: The Freedom to Speak Freely and Be Heard." Harvard Business School Case 223-026, April 2023. View Details
• Cohen, Randolph B. "Highly Selective College Admissions." Harvard Business School Background Note 223-031, September 2022. View Details
• Cohen, Randolph B. "Knock, Knock: The Case of Tetraethyl Lead." Harvard Business School Case 223-028, September 2022. View Details
• Bergstresser, Daniel, and Randolph B. Cohen. "Jefferson County (E): Postscript." Harvard Business School Supplement 213-060, December 2012. (Revised January 2013.) View Details
• Bergstresser, Daniel, and Randolph B. Cohen. "Jefferson County (D): February of 2008." Harvard Business School Supplement 213-059, December 2012. View Details
• Bergstresser, Daniel, and Randolph B. Cohen. "Jefferson County (C): Subsequent Issuance." Harvard Business School Supplement 213-058, December 2012. View Details
• Bergstresser, Daniel, and Randolph B. Cohen. "Jefferson County (B): Borrowing in March 1997." Harvard Business School Supplement 213-057, December 2012. View Details
• Bergstresser, Daniel, and Randolph B. Cohen. "Jefferson County (A): An EPA Mandate ." Harvard Business School Case 213-056, December 2012. View Details
• Bergstresser, Daniel, Lauren Cohen, Christopher Malloy, Randolph B. Cohen, and Timothy Gray. "AQR's DELTA Strategy (TN)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 212-084, March 2012. (Revised February 2013.) View Details
• Bergstresser, Daniel, Lauren Cohen, Randolph B. Cohen, and Christopher Malloy. "AQR's DELTA Strategy." Harvard Business School Case 212-038, October 2011. (Revised March 2012.) View Details
• Bergstresser, Daniel Baird, Lauren H. Cohen, Randolph B. Cohen, and Christopher J. Malloy. "AQR's Momentum Funds (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 211-075, April 2011. (Revised May 2011.) View Details
• Bergstresser, Daniel, Lauren Cohen, Christopher Malloy, Randolph B. Cohen, and Timothy Gray. "AQR's Momentum Funds (TN) (A) and (B)." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 212-083, March 2012. (Revised February 2013.) View Details
• Bergstresser, Daniel Baird, Lauren H. Cohen, Randolph B. Cohen, and Christopher J. Malloy. "AQR's Momentum Funds (A)." Harvard Business School Case 211-025, September 2010. (Revised March 2012.) View Details
• Cohen, Randolph B., Michael Barry, and F. Mark D'Annolfo. "Dice-K: The Hundred (Plus) Million Dollar Man." Harvard Business School Case 208-043, September 2007. View Details
• Cohen, Randolph B., and Joshua B. Sandbulte. "The Children's Investment Fund, 2005." Harvard Business School Case 206-092, February 2006. (Revised October 2006.) View Details
• Cohen, Randolph B., and Brian DeLacey. "Protege Partners: The Capacity Challenge." Harvard Business School Case 205-100, April 2005. (Revised January 2006.) View Details
• Chacko, George C., Randolph B. Cohen, Andrew J. Blackburn, and Mei Hu. "Building Hedge Funds at Prospero Capital." Harvard Business School Case 204-007, December 2003. (Revised December 2004.) View Details
• Chacko, George C., Randolph B. Cohen, and Marc Chennault. "Note on Risk Arbitrage." Harvard Business School Background Note 203-001, March 2003. (Revised August 2004.) View Details
• Cohen, Randolph B. "A-Rod: Signing the Best Player in Baseball." Harvard Business School Spreadsheet Supplement 204-701, December 2003. View Details
• Chacko, George C., Randolph B. Cohen, Marc Chennault, and Andrew Kuhlman. "Risk Arbitrage: Abbott Labs and Alza (A)." Harvard Business School Case 203-003, March 2003. (Revised June 2003.) View Details
• Cohen, Randolph B. "Dimensional Fund Advisors, 2002." Harvard Business School Case 203-026, September 2002. (Revised January 2003.) View Details
• Cohen, Randolph B., and Jason Wallace. "A-Rod: Signing the Best Player in Baseball." Harvard Business School Case 203-047, September 2002. (Revised January 2003.) View Details
• Cohen, Randolph B., and Mark L. Mitchell. "State of South Carolina, The." Harvard Business School Case 201-061, November 2000. (Revised May 2001.) View Details
• Cohen, Randolph B., and Mark L. Mitchell. "State of South Carolina." Harvard Business School Spreadsheet Supplement 201-715, December 2000. (Revised May 2001.) View Details

Other Publications and Materials

• Stevens, Ross, Joshua Zwick, and Randolph B. Cohen. "Illuminating the Path Forward: Breaking Free from the 60/40 Portfolio." White Paper, Stone Ridge, 2017. View Details

Areas of Interest

• hedge funds
• institutional investing
• investment management
• mutual funds
• value investing
Additional Topics
• asset pricing
• compensation
• financial management
• market efficiency
• performance measurement
• valuation
Industries
• financial services
• investment banking industry
Geographies
• Asia
• Europe
• North America