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Media Coverage and the Cost of Debt

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  • Gao, Haoyu
  • Wang, Junbo
  • Wang, Yanchu
  • Wu, Chunchi
  • Dong, Xi

Abstract

This paper investigates the relation between media coverage and offering yield spreads using a comprehensive dataset of 5,338 industrial bonds issued from 1990 to 2011. We find that media coverage is negatively associated with firms’ cost of debt. This association is robust to controlling for standard yield determinants, different model specifications, and endogeneity. We identify 4 economic channels through which media coverage influences the cost of debt: Information asymmetry, governance, liquidity, and default risk. Importantly, media coverage has an independent influence beyond the effects of these economic mechanisms and is not a proxy for other firm attributes.

Suggested Citation

  • Gao, Haoyu & Wang, Junbo & Wang, Yanchu & Wu, Chunchi & Dong, Xi, 2020. "Media Coverage and the Cost of Debt," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 55(2), pages 429-471, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jfinqa:v:55:y:2020:i:2:p:429-471_3
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Hao, Yamin & Li, Shuo, 2021. "Does firm visibility matter to debtholders? Evidence from credit ratings," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    2. Isakin, Maksim & Pu, Xiaoling, 2023. "Dispersion in news sentiment and corporate bond returns," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    3. Mariya Gubareva & Zaghum Umar, 2023. "Emerging market debt and the COVID‐19 pandemic: A time–frequency analysis of spreads and total returns dynamics," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(1), pages 112-126, January.
    4. Zhang, Shafu & Magnan, Michel & Qiu, Yetaotao & Zeng, Cheng Colin, 2022. "Do banks price production process failures? Evidence from product recalls," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    5. Yang, Shuai & Wu, Chao, 2021. "Do Chinese managers listen to the media?: Evidence from mergers and acquisitions," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    6. Xu, Guoquan & Lu, Nuotian & Tong, Yan, 2022. "Greenwashing and credit spread: Evidence from the Chinese green bond market," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    7. Zhou, Jingting & Li, Wanli & Yan, Ziqiao & Lyu, Huaili, 2021. "Controlling shareholder share pledging and stock price crash risk: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    8. Yu, Miao & Guo, Yue Mei & Wang, Di & Gao, Xiaohan, 2021. "How do zombie firms affect debt financing costs of others: From spillover effects views," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    9. Ye, Zhiwei & Shahab, Yasir & Riaz, Yasir & Ntim, Collins G., 2023. "Strategic deviation and the cost of debt financing," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    10. Gan, Tian & Jiang, Yan & Wu, Xi & Zhang, Mingxin, 2023. "Oil price uncertainty and the cost of debt: Evidence from the Chinese bond market," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    11. Gao, Xin & Xu, Weidong & Li, Donghui & Xing, Lu, 2021. "Media coverage and investment efficiency," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 270-293.
    12. Siddiqui, Sayla & Shams, Syed, 2023. "Media coverage and patent trolls: A study on US high-tech firms," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    13. Liu, Xiaojuan & Chen, Xiaoyijing & Deng, Baijun, 2023. "The effect of the government's green grip: Evidence from government-initiated corporate environmental ratings and corporate debt financing," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    14. Gao, Xin & Xu, Weidong & Li, Donghui, 2022. "Media coverage and corporate risk-taking: International evidence," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    15. Zhang, Heng-Guo & CAO, Tingting & Li, Houxuan & Xu, Tiantian, 2021. "Dynamic measurement of news-driven information friction in China's carbon market: Theory and evidence," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    16. Wen, Huiyu & Fang, Jincheng & Gao, Haoyu, 2023. "How FinTech improves financial reporting quality? Evidence from earnings management," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    17. Wang, Xin & Xie, Yan & Song, Di & Zhang, Weihua, 2022. "Do multiple large shareholders affect corporate bond yield spreads? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    18. Wei, Xiaokun & Ruan, Qingsong & Lv, Dayong & Wu, Youyi, 2022. "Transportation infrastructure and bond issuance credit spread: Evidence from the Chinese high-speed rail construction," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 30-47.
    19. Khandelwal, Urvashi & Sharma, Prateek & Nagarajan, Viswanathan, 2022. "Valuation effects of emissions reduction target disclosures," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    20. Abad, Pilar & Ferreras, Rodrigo & Robles, M.-Dolores, 2020. "Information opacity and corporate bond returns: The dynamics of split ratings," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    21. Kuo Zhou & Xianghui Jin & Xinru Li & Yunqing Tao, 2024. "Enhancing sustainable development through effective disclosure: Corporate environmental performance and readability," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(1), pages 274-291, January.
    22. Tao Chen & Sidney Leung & Lingmin Xie, 2021. "Does credit rating conservatism matter for corporate tax avoidance?," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(4), pages 5681-5730, December.

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