The Long-Only Minimum Variance Portfolio in a One-Factor Market: Theory and Asymptotics

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Kercheval, Alec, Sowunmi, Ololade
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Kercheval, Alec
Sowunmi, Ololade
author_facet Kercheval, Alec
Sowunmi, Ololade
contents We study the long-only minimum variance (LOMV) portfolio under a one-factor covariance model with asset betas of arbitrary sign. We provide an explicit solution in terms of the set of active (positive weight) assets, and provide an explicit and computable characterization of the active set. As a corollary we resolve an open question of \citet{qi2021} concerning the extension to mixed-sign betas. In the high-dimensional regime $p \to \infty$ where the betas are drawn from a distribution with cdf $F$, we prove that the proportion of active assets (the active ratio) in the LOMV portfolio converges in almost all cases to $F(β^{*})$, where $β^* \geq 0$ is the root of an explicit integral equation determined by $F$. This is a variation of a result first appearing in \citet{bernstein2025}. In particular, when $F$ is continuous and all betas are positive ($F(0)=0$), the active ratio converges to zero. When $F(0) >0$ is small, under mild moment conditions and concentration bounds we establish the convergence rate $F(β^*)=O(F(0)^{1/3})$ as $F(0) \to 0$.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_09986
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle The Long-Only Minimum Variance Portfolio in a One-Factor Market: Theory and Asymptotics
Kercheval, Alec
Sowunmi, Ololade
Mathematical Finance
91G10, 90C20
We study the long-only minimum variance (LOMV) portfolio under a one-factor covariance model with asset betas of arbitrary sign. We provide an explicit solution in terms of the set of active (positive weight) assets, and provide an explicit and computable characterization of the active set. As a corollary we resolve an open question of \citet{qi2021} concerning the extension to mixed-sign betas. In the high-dimensional regime $p \to \infty$ where the betas are drawn from a distribution with cdf $F$, we prove that the proportion of active assets (the active ratio) in the LOMV portfolio converges in almost all cases to $F(β^{*})$, where $β^* \geq 0$ is the root of an explicit integral equation determined by $F$. This is a variation of a result first appearing in \citet{bernstein2025}. In particular, when $F$ is continuous and all betas are positive ($F(0)=0$), the active ratio converges to zero. When $F(0) >0$ is small, under mild moment conditions and concentration bounds we establish the convergence rate $F(β^*)=O(F(0)^{1/3})$ as $F(0) \to 0$.
title The Long-Only Minimum Variance Portfolio in a One-Factor Market: Theory and Asymptotics
topic Mathematical Finance
91G10, 90C20
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.09986