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A New Test of Capital Structure

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  • Mayer, Colin
  • Sussman, Oren

Abstract

This Paper reports a new test of capital structure theories. It uses a filtering technique to identify large investment spikes. We find that the spikes are predominantly financed with debt by large firms and by new equity by small loss-making firms. In the process, firms move significantly away from their previous capital structures but then revert back to them by making frequent issues of small amounts of equity. Neither the pecking order nor the trade-off theories on their own provide satisfactory descriptions of these dynamic features of corporate financing.

Suggested Citation

  • Mayer, Colin & Sussman, Oren, 2004. "A New Test of Capital Structure," CEPR Discussion Papers 4239, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:4239
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    2. Saumitra, Bhaduri, 2012. "Why do firms issue equity? Some evidence from an emerging economy, India," MPRA Paper 38043, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Ralph de Haas & Sergei Guriev & Alexander Stepanov, 2022. "State Ownership and Corporate Leverage Around the World," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-03878686, HAL.
    4. Yi Huang & Ugo Panizza & Richard Portes, 2018. "Corporate Foreign Bond Issuance and Interfirm Loans in China," NBER Working Papers 24513, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Yunus Aksoy & Henrique S. Basso & Javier Coto-Martinez, 2013. "Lending Relationships And Monetary Policy," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 51(1), pages 368-393, January.
    6. Langberg, Nisan, 2008. "Optimal financing for growth firms," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 379-406, July.
    7. Cai, Jie & Zhang, Zhe, 2011. "Leverage change, debt overhang, and stock prices," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 391-402, June.
    8. Bargeron, Leonce & Denis, David & Lehn, Kenneth, 2018. "Financing investment spikes in the years surrounding World War I⁎," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(2), pages 215-236.
    9. Guriev, Sergei & Kvasov, Dmitriy, 2009. "Imperfect competition in financial markets and capital structure," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 72(1), pages 131-146, October.
    10. Massa, Massimo & Peyer, Urs & Tong, Zhenxu, 2005. "Limits of Arbitrage and Corporate Financial Policy," CEPR Discussion Papers 4829, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    11. Sapienza, Paola & Polk, Christopher, 2003. "The Real Effects of Investor Sentiment," CEPR Discussion Papers 3826, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    12. Ralph de Haas & Marga Peeters, 2006. "The dynamic adjustment towards target capital structures of firms in transition economies," The Economics of Transition, The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, vol. 14(1), pages 133-169, March.
    13. DeAngelo, Harry & DeAngelo, Linda & Whited, Toni M., 2011. "Capital structure dynamics and transitory debt," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(2), pages 235-261, February.
    14. Tsyplakov, Sergey, 2008. "Investment frictions and leverage dynamics," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(3), pages 423-443, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Capital structure; Corporate finance; Pecking order; Trade-off theory;
    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

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