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Credit Rating Inflation and Firms' Investments

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  • ITAY GOLDSTEIN
  • CHONG HUANG

Abstract

We analyze credit rating effects on firm investments in a rational bond financing game that features a feedback loop. The credit rating agency (CRA) inflates the rating, providing a biased but informative signal to creditors. Creditors' response to the rating affects the firm's investment decision and thus its credit quality, which is reflected in the rating. The CRA might reduce ex ante economic efficiency, which results solely from its strategic effect: the CRA assigns more firms high ratings and allows them to gamble for resurrection. We derive empirical predictions on the determinants of rating standards and inflation and discuss policy implications.

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  • Itay Goldstein & Chong Huang, 2020. "Credit Rating Inflation and Firms' Investments," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 75(6), pages 2929-2972, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jfinan:v:75:y:2020:i:6:p:2929-2972
    DOI: 10.1111/jofi.12961
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    4. Kai Chang & Ning Lu & Ze Sheng Li & Yi Ran Wang, 2021. "The combined impacts of fiscal and credit policies on green firm's investment opportunity: Evidences from Chinese firm‐level analysis," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 42(7), pages 1822-1835, October.
    5. Jinyang Li & Jenny Jing Wang & Minggui Yu, 2023. "Government provided rating, alleviation of financial constraints, and corporate investment," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(4), pages 3763-3779, December.
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    7. Jordan Martel & Edward Dickersin Van Wesep & Robert Van Wesep, 2022. "Ratings and Cooperative Information Transmission," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(12), pages 9175-9197, December.

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