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The Effects of Short-Term Liabilities on Profitability: A Comparison of German and US Firms

Author

Listed:
  • Christopher F. Baum

    (Boston College
    DIW Berlin)

  • Dorothea Schäfer

    (DIW Berlin)

  • Oleksandr Talavera

    (DIW Berlin)

Abstract

The paper adopts the methodology of the empirical finance literature to analyze a common question that liability maturity structure has an impact on firm performance. A comparison is made between two countries, the US and Germany, with different types of financial systems. We find that German firms that rely more heavily on short-term liabilities are likely to be more profitable. The link between liability maturity structure and profitability does not appear in the results from the US sample, which reflects the importance of institutional factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher F. Baum & Dorothea Schäfer & Oleksandr Talavera, 2006. "The Effects of Short-Term Liabilities on Profitability: A Comparison of German and US Firms," Boston College Working Papers in Economics 636, Boston College Department of Economics, revised 14 Apr 2007.
    • Handle: RePEc:boc:bocoec:636
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Mazen Kebewar, 2013. "The effect of Debt on Corporate Profitability :Evidence from French Service Sector," Brussels Economic Review, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles, vol. 56(1), pages 43-59.
    2. Mazen Kebewar, 2012. "La structure du capital et la profitabilité : Une étude empirique sur données de panel françaises," Working Papers hal-00751212, HAL.
    3. Kebewar, mazen, 2012. "L’Endettement Affecte-T-Il La Profitabilité? Le Cas Des Firmes Agro-Alimentaires Françaises [Does Debt Affect Profitability? The Case Of French Agro-Food Firms]," MPRA Paper 42834, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Ratnam Vijayakumaran & Sunitha Vijayakumaran, 2019. "Leverage, Debt Maturity and Corporate Performance: Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 9(4), pages 491-506, May.
    5. Mazen Kebewar, 2012. "La structure du capital et la profitabilité : Le cas des entreprises industrielles françaises," Working Papers halshs-00758410, HAL.
    6. Kebewar, mazen & SHAH, Syed Muhammad Noaman Ahmed, 2012. "The effect of debt on corporate profitability: Evidence from French service sector," MPRA Paper 43304, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Kebewar, Mazen, 2013. "Does debt affect profitability? An empirical study of French trade sector," EconStor Preprints 73185, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    8. Mazen Kebewar, 2012. "L'Impact De L'Endettement Sur La Profitabilité Une Étude Empirique Sur Données Françaises En Panel," Working Papers halshs-00749685, HAL.
    9. Kebewar, Mazen & Shah, Syed Muhammad Noaman Ahmed, 2013. "The effect of debt on corporate profitability: Evidence from French service sector," EconStor Preprints 73556, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    10. Mazen Kebewar & Ahmed Shah Syed Muhammad Noaman, 2013. "The effect of debt on corporate profitability Evidence from French service sector," Working Papers halshs-00825178, HAL.
    11. David Haritone Shikumo & Oluoch Oluoch & Joshua Matanda Wepukhulu, 2020. "Effect of Short-Term Debt on Financial Growth of Non-Financial Firms Listed at Nairobi Securities Exchange," Papers 2011.03339, arXiv.org.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    profitability; short-term liabilities; maturity structure; capital structure.;
    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
    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General

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