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Leverage and firm performance of small businesses: evidence from Japan

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  • Daisuke Tsuruta

Abstract

Highly leveraged small businesses cannot obtain enough credit because of the debt overhang problem. Therefore, highly leveraged firms may lose potential profits from profitable investment opportunities in which they are unable to invest. On the other hand, highly leveraged small businesses can enhance their performance because banks and trade creditors monitor their activity and prevent inefficient management. Using small-business data for Japan, we empirically investigate the relationship between firm performance and leverage. We find, first, that highly leveraged small businesses increase their trade payables less even if they have investment opportunities. Second, highly leveraged small businesses convert more bills receivables into cash by selling them to finance companies to finance their growth opportunities. Third, highly leveraged firms enjoy stronger performance (measured as firm sales growth or profitability) compared with low-leveraged firms. These results highlight the benefits of high leverage for small businesses. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2015

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  • Daisuke Tsuruta, 2015. "Leverage and firm performance of small businesses: evidence from Japan," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 385-410, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:sbusec:v:44:y:2015:i:2:p:385-410
    DOI: 10.1007/s11187-014-9601-5
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    Cited by:

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    2. Sorin Gabriel ANTON, 2016. "The Impact Of Leverage On Firm Growth. Empirical Evidence From Romanian Listed Firms," Review of Economic and Business Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, issue 18, pages 147-158, December.
    3. Jiří Kučera & Marek Vochozka & Zuzana Rowland, 2021. "The Ideal Debt Ratio of an Agricultural Enterprise," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-17, April.
    4. Edmund Mallinguh & Christopher Wasike & Zeman Zoltan, 2020. "The Business Sector, Firm Age, and Performance: The Mediating Role of Foreign Ownership and Financial Leverage," IJFS, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-16, December.
    5. Bauweraerts, Jonathan & Arzubiaga, Unai & Diaz-Moriana, Vanessa, 2022. "Going greener, performing better? The case of private family firms," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    6. Dary, Stanley K. & James, Harvey S., 2019. "Does investment in trade credit matter for profitability? Evidence from publicly listed agro-food firms," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 237-250.
    7. TSURUTA Daisuke, 2024. "Determinants and Consequences of Bank Borrowings of Small Businesses: Is the COVID-19 crisis special?," Discussion papers 24007, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    8. Duong Phuong Thao Pham & Thi Cam Ha Huynh, 2020. "The Impact of Trade Credit Investment on Manufacturing Firms' Profitability: Evidence from Vietnam," Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, Mendel University Press, vol. 68(4), pages 775-796.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Leverage; Trade credit; Bank credit; Firm performance; Small business; G32; G33; L26;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G33 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Bankruptcy; Liquidation
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship

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