Two-sample tests for principal eigenvalues and eigenvectors in high-dimensional elliptical factor models

Abstract

Changes in principal eigenvalues and eigendirections provide complementary diagnostics of structural instability in factor models, but covariance-based inference can be unreliable under heavy tails. We develop two-sample tests for equality of these features of trace-normalized shape matrices under high-dimensional elliptical factor models. Our approach combines Tyler's identity with orthogonalization and cross-fitting to accommodate general location and precision pilots. We derive a spectral limit theory that yields asymptotically valid calibration without upper-tail moment assumptions on the radial variables, allowing the two populations to have different radial distributions and factor ranks. Simulations demonstrate good size control and gains in size-adjusted power over covariance-based benchmarks under heavy-tailed elliptical distributions. An application to S\&P~500 stock returns illustrates how the tests distinguish changes in relative component strength from changes in component orientation.