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The Role of Leasing under Adverse Selection

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  • Igal Hendel
  • Alessandro Lizzeri

Abstract

Leasing contracts are extensively used in durable goods markets. These contracts specify a rental rate and an option price at which the used good can be bought on termination of the lease. This option price cannot be controlled when the car is sold. We show that in a world in which quality is observable, this additional control variable is ineffective. Under adverse selection instead, leasing contracts affect equilibrium allocations in a way that matches observed behavior in the car market. Consistent with the data, our model predicts that leased cars have a higher turnover and that off-lease used cars are of higher quality. Moreover, the model predicts that the recent increase in leasing can be explained by the observed increase in car durability. We show that leasing contracts can improve welfare but that they are imperfect tools. We also show that a producer with market power can benefit from leasing contracts for two reasons: market segmentation and better pricing of the option. Moreover, despite the fact that lessors could structure contracts to prevent adverse selection, we show that this is not in their interest.

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Bibliographic Info

Article provided by University of Chicago Press in its journal Journal of Political Economy.

Volume (Year): 110 (2002)
Issue (Month): 1 (February)
Pages: 113-143

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Handle: RePEc:ucp:jpolec:v:110:y:2002:i:1:p:113-143

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References

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  1. Grenadier, Steven R., 1995. "Valuing lease contracts A real-options approach," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 297-331, July.
  2. Laffont, Jean-Jacques & Tirole, Jean, 1994. "Pollution Permits and Compliance Strategies," IDEI Working Papers 39, Institut d'Économie Industrielle (IDEI), Toulouse.
  3. McConnell, John J. & Schallheim, James S., 1983. "Valuation of asset leasing contracts," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(2), pages 237-261, August.
  4. Bond, Eric W. & Samuelson, Larry, 1987. "The Coase conjecture need not hold for durable good monopolies with depreciation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 93-97.
  5. Akerlof, George A, 1970. "The Market for 'Lemons': Quality Uncertainty and the Market Mechanism," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 84(3), pages 488-500, August.
  6. Steven A. Sharpe & Hien H. Nguyen, 1994. "Capital market imperfections and the incentive to lease," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 94-5, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
  7. Igal Hendel & Alessandro Lizzeri, 1997. "Adverse Selection in Durable Goods Markets," NBER Working Papers 6194, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
  8. Waldman, Michael, 1997. "Eliminating the Market for Secondhand Goods: An Alternative Explanation for Leasing," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 40(1), pages 61-92, April.
  9. Mussa, Michael & Rosen, Sherwin, 1978. "Monopoly and product quality," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 18(2), pages 301-317, August.
  10. Bulow, Jeremy, 1986. "An Economic Theory of Planned Obsolescence," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, MIT Press, vol. 101(4), pages 729-49, November.
  11. Grenadier, Steven R., 1996. "Leasing and credit risk," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 333-364, November.
  12. Smith, Clifford W, Jr & Wakeman, L MacDonald, 1985. " Determinants of Corporate Leasing Policy," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 40(3), pages 895-908, July.
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