About Me
Stephen Owen is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Finance in the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University. Dr. Owen teaches Financial Management (FINA 3320) and Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management (FINA 4326). He is also a coauthor of academic textbooks and instructional resources in finance and business analytics.
His primary research interests are empirical asset pricing and financial econometrics, with a focus on financial machine learning, multivariate asset analysis in U.S. and international markets, portfolio optimization and management, textual analysis, and financial education. In conjunction with his teaching and research, Dr. Owen has experience trading and investing in stocks, options, and cryptocurrencies.
Before joining SMU, Dr. Owen was an Assistant Professor of Finance in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business at the University of North Texas. There, he taught Financial Markets and Institutions (FINA 4400) at the undergraduate level and Python and Data Analytics for Finance (FINA 5250) at the graduate level. He developed the latter course, which was first offered in Fall 2022.
Dr. Owen earned his Ph.D. in Finance from the Smeal College of Business at The Pennsylvania State University. As part of his graduate education, he studied machine learning in asset pricing at the Stevanovich Center for Financial Mathematics at the University of Chicago. He received his undergraduate degree in Economics from Brigham Young University, where he also completed the Pre-PhD Finance Program in the Marriott School of Business.
Professional Appointments
Clinical Assistant Professor of Finance, Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University (2026-present).
Assistant Professor of Finance, G. Brint Ryan College of Business, University of North Texas (2021-2026).
Peer-Reviewed Publications
9. “Deep Learning and the International Capital Asset Pricing Model,” with Timothy T. Simin, The Journal of Finance and Data Science, Vol. 12, 2026, 100202.
8. “Designing AI-Ready Business Courses: Insights from a Large-Scale Student Survey in a Principles of Finance Class,” with James C. Brau, Business Education Innovation Journal, forthcoming.
7. “Managing Duration and Tax Risk in Municipal Bond Portfolios,” with Meredith E. Rhodes and Melissa K. Woodley, The Journal of Fixed Income, Vol. 35, Iss. 1, 2025, 48-63.
6. “Stock Price Reaction to Impromptu Managerial Soft Information in Conference Calls,” Journal of Behavioral Finance, Vol. 25, Iss. 4, 2024, 481-495.
5. “An Analysis of Conditional Mean-Variance Portfolio Performance Using Hierarchical Clustering,” The Journal of Finance and Data Science, Vol. 9, 2023, 100112.
4. “A Textual Analysis of Logograms in Chinese IPO Roadshows: How Agreement between Investors and Management Relates to Pricing and Performance,” with James C. Brau and James Cicon, International Journal of Financial Studies, Vol. 10, Iss. 2, 2022, p. 25.
3. “Financial Markets, Institutions, and Instruments: A Pedagogy for the 21st Century,” with James C. Brau, Journal of Financial Education, Vol. 48, No. 1, 2022.
2. “The Impact of Video Gaming and Social Media on Finance Class Grades,” with James C. Brau, Logan Nielsen, and Isaac St. Clair, Journal of Financial Education, Vol. 47, No. 1, 2021, 1-20 (lead article).
1. “The Determinants of Student Performance in a University Marketing Class” with James C. Brau, Rebekah Inez Brau, and Michael J. Swenson, Business Education Innovation Journal, Vol. 8, No. 2, 2016, (from undergraduate).
Select Working Papers
“Prices versus Quantities of Risk: Conditional Asset Pricing with Valid Time-Series Inference,” with Timothy T. Simin.
“Embedded Leverage and the Beta Anomaly,” with Timothy T. Simin and Fatma Sonmez-Leopold.
“Information for All or Just the Fast? Evidence from 8-K Filings and Investor Performance,” with Jeremiah R. Harris.
Select Academic Textbooks
Microsoft Power BI Module: Business Analytics, with John Miko, 2026, MyEducator.
Financial Analysis in Python, with James C. Brau, Andrew L. Holmes, Benjamin M. Blau, and Mark J. Keith, 2022, MyEducator.
Financial Markets, Institutions, and Instruments, with James C. Brau, 2021, MyEducator.
Teaching Honors
G. Brint Ryan College of Business Innovation in Teaching Award, University of North Texas, 2023.
Ossian R. MacKenzie Outstanding Teaching Award, Pennsylvania State University, 2020.
Teaching Experience
Cox School of Business, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX
Financial Management (FINA 3320, Undergraduate)
Investment Analysis and Portfolio Management (FINA 4326, Undergraduate)
G. Brint Ryan College of Business, University of North Texas, Denton, TX
Python and Data Analytics for Finance (FINA 5250, Graduate)
Financial Markets and Institutions (FINA 4400, Undergraduate)
Smeal College of Business, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA
Solo Instructor: Financial Markets and Institutions (FIN 408, Undergraduate)
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Fall 2019: Portfolio Management (Dr. Tim Simin, MBA 583/883)
Fall 2018: Security Analysis & Portfolio Management (Dr. Giang Nguyen, FIN 406)
Spring 2018: Financial Mgmt of Business Enterprise (Dr. Matt Gustafson, FIN 305)
Fall 2017: Security Analysis and Portfolio Management (Dr. Giang Nguyen, FIN 406)
Fall 2016: Financial Management of Business Enterprise (Dr. Fenghua Song, FIN 305)
Fall 2016: Financial Markets and Institutions (Dr. Jim Miles, FIN 408)
Personal
Stephen married Ashtyn Gunderson in August 2013. They have three children: Lucy, Walker, and Garrison. Stephen enjoys racing motocross, fishing, and exercising in his free time. He is also fluent in Spanish and is an Eagle Scout. Ashtyn enjoys baking, exercising, and reading during her free time. Together with their children, they enjoy outdoor activities, riding bikes, and traveling.