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Do Better Institutions Mitigate Agency Problems? Evidence from Corporate Finance Choices

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Giannetti, Mariassunta

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Abstract

This paper examines how firm characteristics, legal rules, and financial development affect corporate finance decisions. In contrast to the existing literature, I use data on unlisted companies to show that institutions play an important role in determining the extent of agency problems. In particular, I find that in countries with good creditor protection, it is easier for firms investing in intangible assets to obtain loans. The protection of creditor rights is also important for ensuring access to long-term debt for firms operating in sectors with highly volatile returns. Ceteris paribus, firms are more leveraged in countries where the stock market is less developed. Unlisted firms appear more indebted than listed companies even after controlling for firm characteristics such as profitability, size, and the ability to provide collateral. Finally, institutions that favor creditor rights and ensure stricter enforcement not only are associated with higher leverage, but also with greater availability of long-term debt.

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Publisher Info
Article provided by Cambridge University Press in its journal Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis.

Volume (Year): 38 (2003)
Issue (Month): 01 (March)
Pages: 185-212
Download reference. The following formats are available: HTML (with abstract), plain text (with abstract), BibTeX, RIS (EndNote, RefMan, ProCite), ReDIF
Handle: RePEc:cup:jfinqa:v:38:y:2003:i:01:p:185-212_00

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
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(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Ronald E. Shrieves & Drew Dahl & Michael F. Spivey, 2009. "Capital Market Regimes and Bank Structure in Europe," Working Papers 200807, Utah State University, Department of Economics and Finance. [Downloadable!]
  2. Raquel FONSECA & Natalia UTRERO- GONZALEZ, 2005. "Financial Development, Labor and Market Regulations and Growth," Finance 0509016, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  3. Mike Burkart & Tore Ellingsen, 2004. "In-Kind Finance: A Theory of Trade Credit," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(3), pages 569-590, June. [Downloadable!]
  4. Patricia Crifo & Hind Sami, 2008. "Entrepreneurship, technological change and endogenous returns to ability," Post-Print hal-00243037_v1, HAL. [Downloadable!]
  5. Eugenio Gaiotti & Andrea Generale, 2001. "Does monetary policy have asymmetric effects? A look at the investment decisions of Italian firms," Working Paper Series 110, European Central Bank. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  6. Giannetti, Mariassunta, 2001. "Risk sharing and firm size: theory and international evidence," Working Paper Series in Economics and Finance 0472, Stockholm School of Economics, revised 06 Nov 2001. [Downloadable!]
  7. Paolo Angelini & Andrea Generale, 2005. "Firm Size Distribution: Do Financial Constraints Explain It All? Evidence From Survey Data," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 549, Bank of Italy, Economic Research Department. [Downloadable!]
  8. Müller, Elisabeth, 2005. "How Does Owners? Exposure to Idiosyncratic Risk Influence the Capital Structure of Private Companies?," ZEW Discussion Papers 05-14, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  9. Bartholdy, Jan & Mateus, Cesário, 2006. "Debt and Taxes: Evidence from bank-financed unlisted firms," Finance Research Group Working Papers F-2006-02, University of Aarhus, Aarhus School of Business, Department of Business Studies. [Downloadable!]
  10. Karin Jõeveer, 2006. "Sources of capital structure : evidence from transition countries," Bank of Estonia Working Papers 2006-02, Bank of Estonia, revised 12 Nov 2006. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  11. Lieven Baert & Rudi Vander Vennet, 2008. "Bank Market Structure and Firm Capital Structure," Working Paper / FINESS 2.1, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
  12. Silvia Magri, 2006. "Debt maturity of Italian firms," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 574, Bank of Italy, Economic Research Department. [Downloadable!]
  13. Jun Qian & Philip E. Strahan, 2005. "How Law and Institutions Shape Financial Contracts: The Case of Bank Loans," NBER Working Papers 11052, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  14. Vlachos, Jonas & Svaleryd, Helena, 2001. "Financial Markets, the Pattern of Specialization and Comparative Advantage. Evidence from OECD countries," Working Paper Series in Economics and Finance 449, Stockholm School of Economics, revised 03 Sep 2001. [Downloadable!]
  15. Burkart, Mike & Ellingsen, Tore, 2002. "In-Kind Finance," CEPR Discussion Papers 3536, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
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