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Stakeholder Orientation and the Cost of Debt: Evidence from State-Level Adoption of Constituency Statutes

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  • Gao, Huasheng
  • Li, Kai
  • Ma, Yujing

Abstract

We examine the causal effect of stakeholder orientation on firms’ cost of debt. Our test exploits the staggered state-level adoption of constituency statutes, which allows directors to consider stakeholders’ interests when making business decisions. We find a significant drop in loan spreads for firms incorporated in states that adopted such statutes relative to firms incorporated elsewhere. We further show that constituency statutes reduce the cost of debt through the channels of mitigating conflicts of interest between residual and fixed claimants and between holders of liquid claims and holders of illiquid claims, limiting legal liability and lowering takeover threats.

Suggested Citation

  • Gao, Huasheng & Li, Kai & Ma, Yujing, 2021. "Stakeholder Orientation and the Cost of Debt: Evidence from State-Level Adoption of Constituency Statutes," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 56(6), pages 1908-1944, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jfinqa:v:56:y:2021:i:6:p:1908-1944_2
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    Cited by:

    1. Liu, Chunbo & Xu, Liang & Yang, Haoyi & Zhang, Wenqiao, 2023. "Prosocial CEOs and the cost of debt: Evidence from syndicated loan contracts," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    2. Al-Hadi, Ahmed & Habib, Ahsan, 2023. "Consequences of state-level regulations in accounting, finance, and corporate governance: A review," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    3. Guernsey, Scott & Sepe, Simone M. & Serfling, Matthew, 2022. "Blood in the water: The value of antitakeover provisions during market shocks," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(3), pages 1070-1096.
    4. Yiwei Li & Wei Song & Tingyu Sun & Qingjing Zhang, 2023. "The impact of shareholder litigation risk on income smoothing," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 61(4), pages 1379-1413, November.
    5. Li, Tongxia & Lu, Chun & Wang, Hui, 2023. "Stakeholder orientation and trade credit: Evidence from a natural experiment," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 15-34.
    6. Griffin, Dale & Guedhami, Omrane & Li, Kai & Lu, Guangli, 2021. "National culture and the valueto implications of corporate environmental and social performance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    7. Bai, Min & Ho, Ly, 2022. "Corporate social performance and firm debt levels: Impacts of the covid-19 pandemic and institutional environments," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PB).
    8. Apergis, Nicholas & Poufinas, Thomas & Antonopoulos, Alexandros, 2022. "ESG scores and cost of debt," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    9. Degl'Innocenti, Marta & Fiordelisi, Franco & Song, Wei & Zhou, Si, 2023. "Shareholder litigation and bank risk," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    10. Fu, Zheng & Ma, Yechi & Li, Suyang & Qiao, Lu, 2023. "Peer performance and the asymmetric timeliness of earnings recognition," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    11. Marius Banke & Stephanie Lenger & Christiane Pott, 2022. "ESG Ratings in the Corporate Reporting of DAX40 Companies in Germany: Effects on Market Participants," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-21, August.
    12. Wang, Yi & Niu, Geng & Zhou, Yang & Lu, Weijie, 2023. "Broadband internet and stock market participation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    13. Romec, Arthur, 2023. "Stakeholder orientation and managerial incentives: Evidence from a natural experiment," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    14. Alves, Carlos F., 2022. "A measure of the evolution of the company's orientation toward its primary stakeholders," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    15. Malm, James & Soyeh, Kenneth W. & Kanuri, Srinidhi, 2023. "Litigation risk and corporate performance," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C).
    16. María‐Florencia Amorelli & Isabel‐María García‐Sánchez, 2023. "Leadership in heels: Women on boards and sustainability in times of COVID‐19," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(4), pages 1987-2010, July.

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