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Renegotiation of cash flow rights in the sale of VC-backed firms

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  • Broughman, Brian
  • Fried, Jesse

Abstract

Incomplete contracting theory suggests that venture capitalist (VC) cash flow rights, including liquidation preferences, could be subject to renegotiation. Using a hand-collected data set of sales of Silicon Valley firms, we find common shareholders do sometimes receive payment before VCs' liquidation preferences are satisfied. However, such deviations from VCs' cash flow rights tend to be small. We also find that renegotiation is more likely when governance arrangements, including the firm's choice of corporate law, give common shareholders more power to impede the sale. Our study provides support for incomplete contracting theory, improves understanding of VC exits, and suggests that choice of corporate law matters in private firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Broughman, Brian & Fried, Jesse, 2010. "Renegotiation of cash flow rights in the sale of VC-backed firms," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(3), pages 384-399, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfinec:v:95:y:2010:i:3:p:384-399
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    Cited by:

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    2. Bian, Bo & Li, Yingxiang & Nigro, Casimiro A., 2022. "Conflicting fiduciary duties and fire sales of VC-backed start-ups," LawFin Working Paper Series 35, Goethe University, Center for Advanced Studies on the Foundations of Law and Finance (LawFin).
    3. Carsten Bienz & Uwe Walz, 2010. "Venture Capital Exit Rights," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(4), pages 1071-1116, December.
    4. Julian Kaboth & Arnd Lodowicks & Maximilian Schreiter & Bernhard Schwetzler, 2023. "Same same but different: how preferential claims trigger valuation discounts in equity tranches of VC-backed firms," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 60(3), pages 877-914, April.
    5. Brian Broughman & Jesse M. Fried & Darian Ibrahim, 2014. "Delaware Law as Lingua Franca: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 57(4), pages 865-895.
    6. Ola Bengtsson & John R. M. Hand, 2013. "Employee Compensation in Entrepreneurial Companies," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(2), pages 312-340, June.
    7. Ola Bengtsson & Dan Bernhardt, 2014. "Different Problem, Same Solution: Contract‐Specialization in Venture Capital," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(2), pages 396-426, June.
    8. Ola Bengtsson, 2011. "Covenants in Venture Capital Contracts," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 57(11), pages 1926-1943, November.
    9. Jens Burchardt & Ulrich Hommel & Dzidziso Samuel Kamuriwo & Carolina Billitteri, 2016. "Venture Capital Contracting in Theory and Practice: Implications for Entrepreneurship Research," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 40(1), pages 25-48, January.
    10. Rin, Marco Da & Hellmann, Thomas & Puri, Manju, 2013. "A Survey of Venture Capital Research," Handbook of the Economics of Finance, in: G.M. Constantinides & M. Harris & R. M. Stulz (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Finance, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 573-648, Elsevier.
    11. Bengtsson, Ola & Sensoy, Berk A., 2011. "Investor abilities and financial contracting: Evidence from venture capital," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 477-502, October.
    12. Broughman, Brian J. & Fried, Jesse M., 2012. "Do VCs use inside rounds to dilute founders? Some evidence from Silicon Valley," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(5), pages 1104-1120.
    13. Ola Bengtsson & S. Abraham Ravid, 2015. "Location Specific Styles and US Venture Capital Contracting," Quarterly Journal of Finance (QJF), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 5(03), pages 1-40, September.
    14. Sergey Chernenko & Josh Lerner & Yao Zeng, 2021. "Mutual Funds as Venture Capitalists? Evidence from Unicorns [The role of boards of directors in corporate governance: a conceptual framework and survey]," Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 34(5), pages 2362-2410.

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