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Is there a CSI-leverage nexus?

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  • Ahmed, Huson Joher Ali
  • Azad, A.S.M. Sohel
  • Poon, Wai Ching
  • Safiullah, Md

Abstract

We examine how various measures of consumer sentiment index (CSI) affect firms' debt policy decisions. Using U.S. firm-level quarterly data from 1993 to 2017, we provide a strong positive relationship between CSI measures and corporate debt policy, implying that firms use external borrowing during a positive economic outlook and reap the tax-shield benefit. We also find that improved household optimism over financial and business sentiments leads to future household consumption. The CSI-leverage nexus is moderated by the state of firms' financial condition, reputation, and profitability. Importantly, our results are robust to sub-sample analysis, firm-level and macroeconomic controls, econometric specifications, alternative measures of sentiment including Shiller's cyclically adjusted price-earnings ratio (i.e., CAPE_SH), Baker and Wurgler (2006)’s stock market sentiment index (i.e., SENT_BW) and search-based uncertainty measure such as FEARS (i.e., Financial and Economic Attitudes Revealed by Search) index of Da, Engelberg, and Gao (2015).

Suggested Citation

  • Ahmed, Huson Joher Ali & Azad, A.S.M. Sohel & Poon, Wai Ching & Safiullah, Md, 2023. "Is there a CSI-leverage nexus?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finana:v:89:y:2023:i:c:s1057521923003150
    DOI: 10.1016/j.irfa.2023.102799
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Consumer sentiment; Leverage policy; Consumption expenditure; Investment activities;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • G - Financial Economics
    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies
    • 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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