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The impact of exporting on financial debt choices of SMEs

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  • Maes, Elisabeth
  • Dewaelheyns, Nico
  • Fuss, Catherine
  • Van Hulle, Cynthia

Abstract

Using detailed financial and exporting data from Belgian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) between 1998 and 2013, we find that exporters have to finance relatively more working capital than their nonexporting peers and that they resolve this financing need by carrying more short-term financial debt. In addition, while controlling for working capital needs, we find that the positive association between pledgeable short-term assets and short-term debt financing is more pronounced for exporters. In particular, we show that the linkage between pledgeable short-term assets and short-term debt financing is stronger for export-intensive firms and firms that serve distant and risky export destinations.

Suggested Citation

  • Maes, Elisabeth & Dewaelheyns, Nico & Fuss, Catherine & Van Hulle, Cynthia, 2019. "The impact of exporting on financial debt choices of SMEs," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 56-73.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:102:y:2019:i:c:p:56-73
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.05.008
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    2. Chen, Baohua & Zhang, Chunlian & Saydaliev, Hayot Berk, 2022. "Does bank complexity during the COVID-19 crisis alter the financing mechanism for small and medium-sized enterprises?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 705-715.
    3. Mojdeh , Zahra & Tehranchian , Amir Mansour & Jafari Samimi , Ahmad & Rasekhi , Saeed, 2020. "Analyzing the Impact of Leverage Rate on Export Survival: The Case of Iranian Firms," Journal of Money and Economy, Monetary and Banking Research Institute, Central Bank of the Islamic Republic of Iran, vol. 15(1), pages 25-34, January.
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    6. KG Suresh & Akanksha Saxena & M. Srikanth, 2023. "Comparing Financial Debt Choices of Existing and New SMEs in Indian Manufacturing Sector," Asia-Pacific Financial Markets, Springer;Japanese Association of Financial Economics and Engineering, vol. 30(3), pages 445-456, September.
    7. Imran Ramzan & Ömer Lütfi Gebizlioglu, 2023. "Does export intensity of heterogeneous firms affect leverage? Evidence from a small open economy," Economics and Business Letters, Oviedo University Press, vol. 12(4), pages 356-365.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    SME; Financing policy; Export; Collateral; Working capital;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F10 - International Economics - - Trade - - - General
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F42 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - International Policy Coordination and Transmission
    • G3 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill

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