For an absolutely continuous contraction T on a Hilbert space 𝓗, it is shown that the factorization of various classes of L¹ functions f by vectors x and y in 𝓗, in the sense that ⟨Tⁿx,y⟩ = f̂(-n) for n ≥ 0, implies the existence of invariant subspaces for T, or in some cases for rational functions of T. One of the main tools employed is the operator-valued Poisson kernel. Finally, a link is established between L¹ factorizations and the moment sequences studied in the Atzmon-Godefroy method, from...