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An empirical investigation on the determinants of capital structure: the UK and Italian experience

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  • A. Panno

Abstract

This article investigates the empirical determinants of capital structure choice by analysing security issues made by companies in the UK and Italy between 1992 and 1996, and examines how companies actually select between financing instruments at a given point in time and in different financial contexts. A descriptive model of choice is developed and then estimated using Logit and Probit estimation procedures, and using data of two samples, which are assumed to be representative of a particular financial environment. The results provide evidence of interesting differences between the two financial markets, generally supporting the idea of the UK market being more testable and in principle more consistent with the main prescriptions of the more recent developments of capital structure theory; on the whole, the results provide support for positive effects of size and profitability, and negative impact of liquidity conditions and bankruptcy risk on the financial leverage of companies. This, together with the negative effect displayed by the available reserves which are taken as a proxy of internally generated funds, lends support to the pecking order theory of capital structure. It is also suggested that firms in well developed financial systems (UK) may have long-term target leverage ratios, while in less efficient markets (Italy) an optimal debt level does not seem to be a major concern. Finally, for both markets, the results are consistent with the notion that the tax advantage of debt financing plays a relevant role in capital structure decisions.

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  • A. Panno, 2003. "An empirical investigation on the determinants of capital structure: the UK and Italian experience," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(2), pages 97-112.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:apfiec:v:13:y:2003:i:2:p:97-112
    DOI: 10.1080/09603100210100882
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    2. K. Baeyens & S. Manigart, 2006. "Follow-on financing of venture capital backed companies: The choice between debt, equity, existing and new investors," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 06/362, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
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    9. Akbar, Saeed & Rehman, Shafiq ur & Liu, Jia & Shah, Syed Zulfiqar Ali, 2017. "Credit supply constraints and financial policies of listed companies during the 2007–2009 financial crisis," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 559-571.
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    12. Drobetz, Wolfgang & Pensa, Pascal & Wanzenried, Gabrielle, 2007. "Firm Characteristics, Economic Conditions and Capital Structure Adjustment," Working papers 2007/16, Faculty of Business and Economics - University of Basel.
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    14. Barnali Chaklader & Deepak Chawla, 2016. "A Study of Determinants of Capital Structure through Panel Data Analysis of Firms Listed in NSE CNX 500," Vision, , vol. 20(4), pages 267-277, December.
    15. Riccardo Gianluigi Serio & Maria Michela Dickson & Diego Giuliani & Giuseppe Espa, 2020. "Green Production as a Factor of Survival for Innovative Startups: Evidence from Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-12, November.
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    18. Shu-Chen Hsu & Kun-Tsung Wu & Qing Wang & Yuan Chang, 2023. "Is capital structure associated with corporate social responsibility?," International Journal of Corporate Social Responsibility, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 1-20, December.
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    20. Pascal Francois, 2006. "Tax loss carry-forwards and optimal leverage," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(14), pages 1075-1083.
    21. Riccardo Gianluigi Serio & Maria Michela Dickson & Diego Giuliani & Giuseppe Espa, 2020. "Green production as a factor of survival for innovative startups. Evidence from Italy," Papers 2005.12102, arXiv.org.
    22. bag, DINABANDHU, 2013. "Market Leverage Of Real Estate Firms In India: Empirical Study," OSF Preprints 3d7v4, Center for Open Science.
    23. Hung, Jessica & Chang, Vincent Y. L., 2018. "The analysis of capital structure for propertyliability insurers: A quantile regression approach," Business and Economic Horizons (BEH), Prague Development Center, vol. 14(4), pages 829-850, August.
    24. Cappa, Francesco & Cetrini, Giorgio & Oriani, Raffaele, 2020. "The impact of corporate strategy on capital structure: evidence from Italian listed firms," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 379-385.
    25. Suzan Hol & Nico Van der Wijst, 2008. "The financial structure of nonlisted firms," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(7), pages 559-568.

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