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Climate Risk and Capital Structure

Author

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  • Edith Ginglinger

    (Université Paris-Dauphine, Université PSL, CNRS, DRM, 75016 Paris, France)

  • Quentin Moreau

    (Division of Environment and Sustainability, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong)

Abstract

We use firm-level data that measure forward-looking physical climate risk to examine the impact of climate risk on capital structure. We find that greater physical climate risk leads to lower leverage in the post-2015 period (i.e., after the Paris Agreement and the first step of standardization of disclosure of climate risk information). Our results hold after controlling for firm characteristics known to determine leverage, including credit ratings. Our evidence shows that the reduction in leverage related to climate risk is shared between a demand effect (the firm’s optimal leverage decreases) and a supply effect (bankers and bondholders increase spreads when lending to firms with the greatest risk). Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that physical climate risk affects leverage via larger expected distress costs and higher operating costs.

Suggested Citation

  • Edith Ginglinger & Quentin Moreau, 2023. "Climate Risk and Capital Structure," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(12), pages 7492-7516, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:ormnsc:v:69:y:2023:i:12:p:7492-7516
    DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.2023.4952
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    Cited by:

    1. Döttling, Robin & Rola-Janicka, Magdalena, 2023. "Too levered for Pigou: carbon pricing, financial constraints, and leverage regulation," Working Paper Series 2812, European Central Bank.
    2. Carè, R. & Weber, O., 2023. "How much finance is in climate finance? A bibliometric review, critiques, and future research directions," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    3. Reghezza, Alessio & Altunbas, Yener & Marques-Ibanez, David & Rodriguez d’Acri, Costanza & Spaggiari, Martina, 2022. "Do banks fuel climate change?," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    4. Fatica, Serena & Panzica, Roberto & Rancan, Michela, 2021. "The pricing of green bonds: Are financial institutions special?," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    5. Mathews, Shilpita & Surminski, Swenja & Roezer, Viktor, 2021. "The risk of corporate lock-in to future physical climate risks: the case of flood risk in England and Wales," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 112801, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    6. Javadi, Siamak & Masum, Abdullah-Al, 2021. "The impact of climate change on the cost of bank loans," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    7. Garel, Alexandre & Petit-Romec, Arthur, 2021. "Investor rewards to environmental responsibility: Evidence from the COVID-19 crisis," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    8. Edith Ginglinger, 2020. "Climate risk and finance," Post-Print halshs-02975207, HAL.
    9. Yevheniia Antoniuk & Thomas Leirvik, 2021. "Climate Transition Risk and the Impact on Green Bonds," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-19, December.
    10. Lee H. Seltzer & Laura Starks & Qifei Zhu, 2022. "Climate Regulatory Risk and Corporate Bonds," NBER Working Papers 29994, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Ruoyu He & Xueli Chen & Cheng Chen & Jianqiao Zhai & Lixin Cui, 2021. "Environmental, Social, and Governance Incidents and Bank Loan Contracts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-19, February.
    12. Mathews, Shilpita & Surminski, Swenja & Roezer, Viktor, 2021. "The risk of corporate lock-in to future physical climate risks: the case of flood risk in England and Wales," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 112807, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    13. Fard, Amirhossein & Javadi, Siamak & Kim, Incheol, 2020. "Environmental regulation and the cost of bank loans: International evidence," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    14. Azar, José & Duro, Miguel & Kadach, Igor & Ormazabal, Gaizka, 2021. "The Big Three and corporate carbon emissions around the world," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 674-696.
    15. Shouwei Li & Xin Wu, 2023. "How does climate risk affect bank loan supply? Empirical evidence from China," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(4), pages 2169-2204, August.
    16. Breckenfelder, Johannes & Maćkowiak, Bartosz & Marqués-Ibáñez, David & Olovsson, Conny & Popov, Alexander & Porcellacchia, Davide & Schepens, Glenn, 2023. "The climate and the economy," Working Paper Series 2793, European Central Bank.
    17. Richard Berner & Robert Engle & Hyeyoon Jung, 2021. "CRISK: Measuring the Climate Risk Exposure of the Financial System," Staff Reports 977, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
    18. Maximilian Focke, 2022. "Do sustainable institutional investors influence senior executive compensation structures according to their preferences? Empirical evidence from Europe," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1109-1121, September.

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