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Religion and bank loan terms

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  • He, Wen
  • Hu, Maggie (Rong)

Abstract

We examine whether religion affects the terms of bank loans. We hypothesize that lenders value the traits of religious adherents, such as risk aversion, ethical behavior and honesty, and thus offer favorable loan terms to religious borrowers. Consistent with this hypothesis, we find that corporate borrowers located in counties with a high level of religiosity are charged lower interest rates, have larger loan amounts and fewer loan covenants. These results suggest that the corporate culture of borrowers influences the availability and cost of bank loans.

Suggested Citation

  • He, Wen & Hu, Maggie (Rong), 2016. "Religion and bank loan terms," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 205-215.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:64:y:2016:i:c:p:205-215
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbankfin.2015.12.005
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    9. Ramazanova, Ainur & Sabitova, Assyl & Orsayeva, Raissa & Bairkenova, Gulmira & Smailova, Indira, 2022. "Financial sector components in a religious context: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(C).
    10. Ahsan Habib & Mabel D' Costa & Ahmed Khamis Al‐Hadi, 2023. "Consequences of local social norms: A review of the literature in accounting, finance, and corporate governance," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(1), pages 3-45, March.
    11. Ernest Gyapong & Daniel Gyimah & Ammad Ahmed, 2021. "Religiosity, borrower gender and loan losses in microfinance institutions: a global evidence," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 57(2), pages 657-692, August.
    12. Hasan, Iftekhar & Jackowicz, Krzysztof & Kowalewski, Oskar & Kozłowski, Łukasz, 2023. "Cultural values of parent bank board members and lending by foreign subsidiaries: The moderating role of personal traits," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    13. Aaron H. Anglin & Hana Milanov & Jeremy C. Short, 2023. "Religious Expression and Crowdfunded Microfinance Success: Insights from Role Congruity Theory," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 185(2), pages 397-426, June.
    14. Jackowicz, Krzysztof & Kowalewski, Oskar & Kozłowski, Łukasz, 2022. "Foreign bank lending: The role of home country culture during prosperous and crisis periods," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    15. Lamia Chourou, 2020. "Does Religiosity Matter to Value Relevance? Evidence from U.S. Banking Firms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 162(3), pages 675-697, March.
    16. Dursun-de Neef, H. Özlem & Schandlbauer, Alexander, 2020. "Procyclical leverage: Evidence from banks’ lending and financing decisions," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    17. Zolotoy, Leon & O'Sullivan, Don & Chen, Yangyang, 2019. "Local religious norms, corporate social responsibility, and firm value," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 218-233.
    18. Lingyun Xiong & Lijuan Xiao & Min Bai & Yafeng Qin & Lijuan Yang, 2023. "The religion effect on corporate cash holding in China: Buddhism and Taoism," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(4), pages 4420-4457, October.
    19. Huajing Hu & Yili Lian & Wencang Zhou, 2019. "Do Local Protestant Values Affect Corporate Cash Holdings?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(1), pages 147-166, January.
    20. Khedmati, Mehdi & Aminu Sualihu, Mohammed & Yawson, Alfred, 2021. "Does religiosity matter for corporate labor investment decisions?," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(2).
    21. Hsieh, Wen-Liang G. & Wu, Wei-Shao & Tu, Anthony H., 2022. "Religiosity and sovereign credit quality," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 84-103.
    22. Lei Chen & Zhi Jin & Yongqiang Ma & Hui Xu, 2019. "Confucianism, openness to the West, and corporate investment efficiency," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 25(3), pages 554-590, June.
    23. Jin, Ming & Liu, Jinshan & Chen, Zhongfei, 2022. "Impacts of social trust on corporate leverage: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 505-521.
    24. Panagiota Papadimitri & Fotios Pasiouras & Menelaos Tasiou, 2019. "Culture and collateral requirements: Evidence from developing countries," Working Papers in Economics & Finance 2019-04, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth Business School, Economics and Finance Subject Group.
    25. Degl'Innocenti, Marta & Fiordelisi, Franco & Song, Wei & Zhou, Si, 2023. "Shareholder litigation and bank risk," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bank loans; Religion; Social norms; Credit;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages

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