IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/finmgt/v54y2025i4p703-717.html

Effects of Bank Capital and Lending on Leverage, Risk, and Growth of Nonfinancial Firms

Author

Listed:
  • Lindsay Baran
  • Ajay Patel
  • Nonna Sorokina

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of bank capital on the capital structure of nonfinancial firms, focusing on lenders and commercial borrowers from 2000 to 2019. We find a positive relationship between firm leverage and bank capital, with lending serving as a key channel for this effect. Additionally, increased lending is associated with higher firm risk and slower growth. Our deal‐level analysis reveals consistent findings with those at the firm level: greater lending is linked to higher spreads, more tranches, more secured loans, fewer lenders per deal, and longer maturities, all of which indicate increased borrower risk. This study offers new insights into how bank capital structure policies influence the financial structure of nonfinancial firms and contributes to the broader debate on the spillover effects of risk‐reduction measures in the financial sector, such as capital regulation, on the real economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Lindsay Baran & Ajay Patel & Nonna Sorokina, 2025. "Effects of Bank Capital and Lending on Leverage, Risk, and Growth of Nonfinancial Firms," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 54(4), pages 703-717, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:finmgt:v:54:y:2025:i:4:p:703-717
    DOI: 10.1111/fima.12492
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/fima.12492
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/fima.12492?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Massoud, Nadia & Song, Keke & Tran, Nam, 2024. "Lender effects on gains from mergers and acquisitions," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    2. Gornall, Will & Strebulaev, Ilya A., 2018. "Financing as a supply chain: The capital structure of banks and borrowers," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(3), pages 510-530.
    3. Laeven, Luc & Levine, Ross, 2007. "Is there a diversification discount in financial conglomerates?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(2), pages 331-367, August.
    4. Campello, Murillo & Graham, John R. & Harvey, Campbell R., 2010. "The real effects of financial constraints: Evidence from a financial crisis," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(3), pages 470-487, September.
    5. Gambacorta, Leonardo & Mistrulli, Paolo Emilio, 2004. "Does bank capital affect lending behavior?," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 436-457, October.
    6. Berger, Allen N. & Öztekin, Özde & Roman, Raluca A., 2023. "Geographic deregulation and bank capital structure," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    7. Jose M. Berrospide & Rochelle M. Edge, 2010. "The Effects of Bank Capital on Lending: What Do We Know, and What Does It Mean?," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 6(34), pages 1-50, December.
    8. Elijah Brewer III & George Kaufman & Larry Wall, 2008. "Bank Capital Ratios Across Countries: Why Do They Vary?," Journal of Financial Services Research, Springer;Western Finance Association, vol. 34(2), pages 177-201, December.
    9. Roberts, Daniel & Sarkar, Asani & Shachar, Or, 2023. "Liquidity regulations, bank lending and fire-sale risk," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    10. Murray Z. Frank & Vidhan K. Goyal, 2009. "Capital Structure Decisions: Which Factors Are Reliably Important?," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 38(1), pages 1-37, March.
    11. Raghuram G. Rajan & Luigi Zingales, 2001. "The Firm as a Dedicated Hierarchy: A Theory of the Origins and Growth of Firms," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 116(3), pages 805-851.
    12. Gabriel Jiménez & Steven Ongena & José-Luis Peydró & Jesús Saurina, 2017. "Macroprudential Policy, Countercyclical Bank Capital Buffers, and Credit Supply: Evidence from the Spanish Dynamic Provisioning Experiments," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 125(6), pages 2126-2177.
    13. Reint Gropp & Thomas Mosk & Steven Ongena & Carlo Wix, 2019. "Banks Response to Higher Capital Requirements: Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 32(1), pages 266-299.
    14. Jose M. Berrospide & Rochelle M. Edge, 2010. "The effects of bank capital on lending: what do we know, and what does it mean?," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2010-44, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    15. Mark T. Leary, 2009. "Bank Loan Supply, Lender Choice, and Corporate Capital Structure," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 64(3), pages 1143-1185, June.
    16. Lin, Luca X., 2022. "Taking no chances: Lender concentration and corporate acquisitions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    17. Ovtchinnikov, Alexei V., 2010. "Capital structure decisions: Evidence from deregulated industries," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(2), pages 249-274, February.
    18. Jose M. Berrospide & Rochelle M. Edge, 2010. "The Effects of Bank Capital on Lending: What Do We Know, and What Does It Mean?," CAMA Working Papers 2010-26, Centre for Applied Macroeconomic Analysis, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University.
    19. Kim, Kyonghee & Patro, Sukesh & Pereira, Raynolde, 2017. "Option incentives, leverage, and risk-taking," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 1-18.
    20. Ivashina, Victoria & Scharfstein, David, 2010. "Bank lending during the financial crisis of 2008," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(3), pages 319-338, September.
    21. Maskara, Pankaj Kumar, 2010. "Economic value in tranching of syndicated loans," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 946-955, May.
    22. Puri, Manju & Rocholl, Jörg & Steffen, Sascha, 2011. "Global retail lending in the aftermath of the US financial crisis: Distinguishing between supply and demand effects," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(3), pages 556-578, June.
    23. Kim, Dohan & Sohn, Wook, 2017. "The effect of bank capital on lending: Does liquidity matter?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 95-107.
    24. Kroszner, Randall S. & Laeven, Luc & Klingebiel, Daniela, 2007. "Banking crises, financial dependence, and growth," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(1), pages 187-228, April.
    25. Ralph De Haas & Neeltje Van Horen, 2013. "Running for the Exit? International Bank Lending During a Financial Crisis," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 26(1), pages 244-285.
    26. Sundaresan, Suresh & Xiao, Kairong, 2024. "Liquidity regulation and banks: Theory and evidence," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    27. Edward I. Altman, 1968. "Financial Ratios, Discriminant Analysis And The Prediction Of Corporate Bankruptcy," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 23(4), pages 589-609, September.
    28. Greg Nini & David C. Smith & Amir Sufi, 2012. "Creditor Control Rights, Corporate Governance, and Firm Value," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 25(6), pages 1713-1761.
    29. DeAngelo, Harry & Stulz, René M., 2015. "Liquid-claim production, risk management, and bank capital structure: Why high leverage is optimal for banks," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(2), pages 219-236.
    30. Allen Berger & Robert DeYoung & Mark Flannery & David Lee & Özde Öztekin, 2008. "How Do Large Banking Organizations Manage Their Capital Ratios?," Journal of Financial Services Research, Springer;Western Finance Association, vol. 34(2), pages 123-149, December.
    31. Vitaly M. Bord & João A.C. Santos, 2015. "Does Securitization of Corporate Loans Lead to Riskier Lending?," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 47(2-3), pages 415-444, March.
    32. Kahle, Kathleen M. & Stulz, René M., 2013. "Access to capital, investment, and the financial crisis," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(2), pages 280-299.
    33. Anjan V. Thakor, 2014. "Bank Capital and Financial Stability: An Economic Trade-Off or a Faustian Bargain?," Annual Review of Financial Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 6(1), pages 185-223, December.
    34. Chu, Yongqiang & Zhang, Donghang & Zhao, Yijia (Eddie), 2019. "Bank Capital and Lending: Evidence from Syndicated Loans," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 54(2), pages 667-694, April.
    35. Sorokina, Nonna Y. & Thornton, John H. & Patel, Ajay, 2017. "Why do banks choose to finance with equity?," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 36-52.
    36. Douglas W. Diamond & Raghuram G. Rajan, 2001. "Liquidity Risk, Liquidity Creation, and Financial Fragility: A Theory of Banking," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 109(2), pages 287-327, April.
    37. Michael Schwert, 2018. "Bank Capital and Lending Relationships," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 73(2), pages 787-830, April.
    38. Fernández, Ana I. & González, Francisco & Suárez, Nuria, 2018. "Bank supply shocks and the substitution between bank and nonbank debt," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 122-147.
    39. Carlson, Mark & Shan, Hui & Warusawitharana, Missaka, 2013. "Capital ratios and bank lending: A matched bank approach," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 663-687.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Behn, Markus & Daminato, Claudio & Salleo, Carmelo, 2019. "A dynamic model of bank behaviour under multiple regulatory constraints," Working Paper Series 2233, European Central Bank.
    2. Košak, Marko & Li, Shaofang & Lončarski, Igor & Marinč, Matej, 2015. "Quality of bank capital and bank lending behavior during the global financial crisis," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 168-183.
    3. Retselisitsoe I. Thamae & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2022. "The impact of bank regulation on bank lending: a review of international literature," Journal of Banking Regulation, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 23(4), pages 405-418, December.
    4. Berger, Allen N. & Molyneux, Phil & Wilson, John O.S., 2020. "Banks and the real economy: An assessment of the research," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    5. Cyril Couaillier & Marco Lo Duca & Alessio Reghezza & Costanza Rodriguez D'Acri, 2025. "Caution: Do Not Cross! Distance to Regulatory Capital Buffers and Corporate Lending in a Downturn," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 57(4), pages 833-862, June.
    6. Bakkar, Yassine & De Jonghe, Olivier & Tarazi, Amine, 2023. "Does banks’ systemic importance affect their capital structure and balance sheet adjustment processes?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    7. Raupach, Peter & Memmel, Christoph, 2021. "Banks' credit losses and lending dynamics," Discussion Papers 36/2021, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    8. Patel, Ajay & Sorokina, Nonna & Thornton, John H., 2022. "Liquidity and bank capital structure," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    9. Cappelletti, Giuseppe & Reghezza, Alessio & Rodríguez d'Acri, Costanza & Spaggiari, Martina, 2022. "Compositional effects of bank capital buffers and interactions with monetary policy," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    10. Couaillier, Cyril & Reghezza, Alessio & Rodriguez d’Acri, Costanza & Scopelliti, Alessandro, 2025. "How to release capital requirements in an economic downturn? Evidence from euro area credit register," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    11. Bank for International Settlements, 2025. "Bank capital and balance sheet management during times of distress: international evidence (July 2025, revised August 2025)," BCBS Working Papers 46, Bank for International Settlements.
    12. Bert Loudis & Ben Ranish, 2019. "CECL and the Credit Cycle," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2019-061, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    13. Klein, Paul-Olivier & Turk-Ariss, Rima, 2022. "Bank capital and economic activity," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    14. Norden, Lars & Udell, Gregory F. & Wang, Teng, 2020. "Do bank bailouts affect the provision of trade credit?11All errors are our own. The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the authors and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of the Board of Governors or the staff of the Fede," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    15. Cappelletti, Giuseppe & Reghezza, Alessio & Rodriguez d’Acri, Costanza & Spaggiari, Martina, 2020. "Compositional effects of O-SII capital buffers and the role of monetary policy," Working Paper Series 2440, European Central Bank.
    16. Laurent Maurin & Mervi Toivanen, 2015. "Risk, capital buffers and bank lending: The adjustment of euro area banks," Journal of Banking and Financial Economics, University of Warsaw, Faculty of Management, vol. 1(3), pages 113-129, May.
    17. Zheng, Yi, 2020. "Does bank opacity affect lending?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    18. Matthieu Darracq Paries, 2018. "Financial frictions and monetary policy conduct," Erudite Ph.D Dissertations, Erudite, number ph18-01 edited by Ferhat Mihoubi, April.
    19. Gabriel Jiménez & Steven Ongena & José-Luis Peydró & Jesús Saurina, 2017. "Macroprudential Policy, Countercyclical Bank Capital Buffers, and Credit Supply: Evidence from the Spanish Dynamic Provisioning Experiments," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 125(6), pages 2126-2177.
    20. Yassine Bakkar & Olivier De Jonghe & Amine Tarazi, 2017. "Does banks' systemic importance affect their capital structure adjustment process?," Working Papers hal-01546995, HAL.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:finmgt:v:54:y:2025:i:4:p:703-717. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/fmaaaea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.