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Do sovereign credit ratings matter for corporate credit ratings?

Author

Listed:
  • Nidhaleddine Ben Cheikh

    (ESSCA School of Management)

  • Oussama Ben Hmiden

    (ESSCA School of Management)

  • Younes Ben Zaied

    (EDC Paris Business School)

  • Sabri Boubaker

    (Métis Lab)

Abstract

This paper proposes a new approach for tackling the issue of the impact of sovereign rating on corporate ratings. As the policy of never rating a private issuer above its government (sovereign ceiling) has been relaxed by the major credit rating agencies, further empirical investigation is needed to identify the key factors that determine the strength of sovereign-corporate nexus. We suggest implementing a nonlinear panel smooth transition regression modelling where the sovereign effect is allowed to vary across different firm-level financial states. Our results reveal that financially healthier corporations in terms of interest and debt coverage ratios are found to be less dependent on their home country credit risk. Our empirical findings have important implications for credit market participants and offer a call for a better understanding of the role of firm-specific financial characteristics in the rating decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Nidhaleddine Ben Cheikh & Oussama Ben Hmiden & Younes Ben Zaied & Sabri Boubaker, 2021. "Do sovereign credit ratings matter for corporate credit ratings?," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 297(1), pages 77-114, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:annopr:v:297:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1007_s10479-020-03590-z
    DOI: 10.1007/s10479-020-03590-z
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Ryan Banerjee & Boris Hofmann & Aaron Mehrotra, 2022. "Corporate investment and the exchange rate: The financial channel," International Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 296-312, December.
    3. Pranith Kumar Roy & Krishnendu Shaw & Alessio Ishizaka, 2023. "Developing an integrated fuzzy credit rating system for SMEs using fuzzy-BWM and fuzzy-TOPSIS-Sort-C," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 325(2), pages 1197-1229, June.
    4. Sahibzada, Irfan Ullah, 2023. "To what extent do sovereign rating actions affect global equity market sectors?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 240-261.
    5. Jaspreet Kaur & Madhu Vij & Ajay Kumar Chauhan, 2023. "Signals influencing corporate credit ratings—a systematic literature review," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 50(1), pages 91-114, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Credit ratings; Sovereign ceiling; Transfer risk; Nonlinear panel data techniques; Emerging markets;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • G15 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - International Financial Markets
    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • H63 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Debt; Debt Management; Sovereign Debt

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