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Were Modern Capital Structure Theories Valid in Belgium Before World War I?

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  • Marc Deloof
  • Wouter Van Overfelt

Abstract

This study investigates whether modern theories can explain capital structure in a historical environment which was characterized by poor investor protection, booming stock markets and strong banks, and in which taxes did not affect leverage. Our results, based on a unique, hand‐collected sample of 556 firm‐year observations for 129 listed companies in Belgium before World War I, are remarkably similar to findings for present‐day samples. Leverage was positively related to asset tangibility, firm size and firm age, and it was negatively related to profitability and prior stock returns. Bank relationships were associated with lower leverage.

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  • Marc Deloof & Wouter Van Overfelt, 2008. "Were Modern Capital Structure Theories Valid in Belgium Before World War I?," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(3‐4), pages 491-515, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jbfnac:v:35:y:2008:i:3-4:p:491-515
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-5957.2008.02080.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Gregg, Amanda & Nafziger, Steven, 2020. "Financing nascent industry: Leverage, politics, and performance in Imperial Russia," BOFIT Discussion Papers 7/2020, Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT).
    2. Lucie Režňáková & Svatopluk Kapounek, 2015. "Is There a Credit Crunch in the Czech Republic?," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 63(3), pages 995-1003.
    3. Overfelt, Wouter Van & Annaert, Jan & Ceuster, Marc De & Deloof, Marc, 2009. "Do universal banks create value? Universal bank affiliation and company performance in Belgium, 1905-1909," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 253-265, April.
    4. Deloof, Marc & Vermoesen, Veronique, 2016. "The value of corporate boards during the Great Depression in Belgium," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 108-123.
    5. Aamer Shahzad & Muhammad Azeem & Mian Sajid Nazir & Xuan Vinh Vo & Nguyen T. M. Linh, 2021. "The determinants of capital structure: Evidence from SAARC countries," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(4), pages 6471-6487, October.
    6. Tse, Chin-Bun & Rodgers, Timothy, 2011. "Can corporate tax shields explain the long-term borrowing behaviour of Chinese listed firms?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 103-112, April.
    7. Amanda Gregg & Steven Nafziger, 2019. "Capital structure and corporate performance in late Imperial Russia," European Review of Economic History, European Historical Economics Society, vol. 23(4), pages 446-481.
    8. Marc Deloof & Abe Jong & Wilco Legierse, 2023. "Going public: evidence from stock and bond IPOs in Belgium, 1839–1935," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 17(3), pages 433-466, September.
    9. repec:zbw:bofitp:2020_007 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Vlora Prenaj & Iliriana Miftari & Besnik Krasniqi, 2023. "Determinants of the Capital Structure of Non-Listed Companies in Kosovo," Economic Studies journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 1, pages 36-50.
    11. Lin Tian & Liang Han & Song Zhang, 2015. "Business Life Cycle and Capital Structure: Evidence from Chinese Manufacturing Firms," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 23(2), pages 22-39, March.

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