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Creditor Control Rights and Resource Allocation within Firms

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Listed:
  • Nuri Ersahin
  • Rustom M. Irani
  • Hanh Le

Abstract

We examine the within-firm resource allocation effects of creditor interventions and their relationship to performance gains at firms violating financial covenants. By linking firm-level data to establishment-level data from the U.S. Census Bureau, we show that covenant violations are followed by large reductions in employment and more frequent establishment sales and closures. These operational cuts are concentrated in violating firms' noncore business lines and unproductive establishments. We conclude that refocusing activities and improving productive efficiency are important mechanisms through which creditors enhance violating firms' performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Nuri Ersahin & Rustom M. Irani & Hanh Le, 2015. "Creditor Control Rights and Resource Allocation within Firms," Working Papers 15-39, Center for Economic Studies, U.S. Census Bureau.
    • Handle: RePEc:cen:wpaper:15-39
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    File URL: https://www2.census.gov/ces/wp/2015/CES-WP-15-39.pdf
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Creditor Rights; Covenant Violations; Employment; Asset Sales; Firm Value;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies

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