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Reorganization or Liquidation: Bankruptcy Choice and Firm Dynamics
[Does Industry-wide distress Affect Defaulted Firms? Evidence from Creditor Recoveries]

Author

Listed:
  • Dean Corbae
  • Pablo D’Erasmo

Abstract

In this article, we ask how bankruptcy law affects the financial decisions of corporations and its implications for firm dynamics. According to current U.S. law, firms have two bankruptcy options: Chapter 7 liquidation and Chapter 11 reorganization. Using Compustat data, we first document capital structure and investment decisions of non-bankrupt, Chapter 11, and Chapter 7 firms. Using those data moments, we then estimate parameters of a general equilibrium firm dynamics model with endogenous entry and exit to include both bankruptcy options. Finally, we evaluate a bankruptcy policy change similar to one recommended by the American Bankruptcy Institute that amounts to a “fresh start” for bankrupt firms. We find that changes to the law can have sizable consequences for borrowing costs and capital structure which via selection affects productivity, as well as long run welfare.

Suggested Citation

  • Dean Corbae & Pablo D’Erasmo, 2021. "Reorganization or Liquidation: Bankruptcy Choice and Firm Dynamics [Does Industry-wide distress Affect Defaulted Firms? Evidence from Creditor Recoveries]," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 88(5), pages 2239-2274.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:restud:v:88:y:2021:i:5:p:2239-2274.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/restud/rdaa091
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    Cited by:

    1. Michael L. McIntyre, 2022. "Capital structure in an option-theoretic setting," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 2(8), pages 1-24, August.
    2. Nishihara, Michi & Shibata, Takashi & Zhang, Chuanqian, 2023. "Corporate investment, financing, and exit model with an earnings-based borrowing constraint," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    3. Nguyen, Duy Phat & Borovkov, Konstantin, 2023. "Parisian ruin with random deficit-dependent delays for spectrally negative Lévy processes," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 72-81.
    4. Xiang, Haotian, 2022. "Corporate debt choice and bank capital regulation," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).

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