On a dynamic adaptation of the Distribution Builder approach to investment decisions

Abstract: Sharpe et al. proposed the idea of having an expected utility maximizer choose a probability distribution for future wealth as an input to her investment problem instead of a utility function. They developed a computer program, called The Distribution Builder, as one way to elicit such a distribution. In a single-period model, they then showed how this desired distribution for terminal wealth can be used to infer the investor's risk preferences. We adapt their idea, namely that a risk-averse investor can choose a desired distribution for future wealth as an alternative input attribute for investment decisions, to continuous time. In a variety of scenarios, we show how the investor's desired distribution combines with her initial wealth and market-related input to determine the feasibility of her distribution, her implied risk preferences, and her optimal policies throughout her investment horizon. We then provide several examples.