IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/sustdv/v34y2026is2p1135-1154.html

Green Bonds Impact on Firm Performance: The Mediating Role of Financial Risk and Financial Quality

Author

Listed:
  • Muhammad Alamgir
  • Magdalena Osińska
  • Ming‐Chang Cheng

Abstract

Green bonds have emerged as a significant financial instrument with dual benefits, positively impacting corporate performance and environmental sustainability. They focus on stakeholder theory instead of shareholder interest. This study examines the effect of green bond issuance on firm performance, focusing on the mediating roles of firm financial risk and financial quality. Using panel data from 2012 to 2022, the study employs the Propensity Score Matching‐Difference in Differences (PSM‐DID) method to analyze the relationship between green bonds and firm performance. The findings indicate that green bonds enhance both financial and environmental performance. Firms issuing green bonds experience improved firm value (Tobin's Q) and profitability (ROA), with the effects becoming more pronounced in the second year post‐issuance. Additionally, green bond issuance lowers financial risk, as reflected in reduced debt‐to‐equity ratios, and enhances financial quality, indicated by higher Altman Z‐scores. Green bonds also reduce the cost of capital (WACC), attracting investors seeking sustainable investments, which typically have lower yields than conventional bonds. On the environmental front, firms that issue green bonds show significant improvements in ESG scores and achieve lower carbon emissions than those that do not issue such bonds. However, while green bond issuance initially leads to a notable reduction in carbon emissions, this effect slightly diminishes in the second year, highlighting the need for sustained sustainability initiatives.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Alamgir & Magdalena Osińska & Ming‐Chang Cheng, 2026. "Green Bonds Impact on Firm Performance: The Mediating Role of Financial Risk and Financial Quality," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 34(S2), pages 1135-1154, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:34:y:2026:i:s2:p:1135-1154
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.70387
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.70387
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/sd.70387?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fatemi, Ali & Glaum, Martin & Kaiser, Stefanie, 2018. "ESG performance and firm value: The moderating role of disclosure," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 45-64.
    2. Malcolm Baker & Daniel Bergstresser & George Serafeim & Jeffrey Wurgler, 2018. "Financing the Response to Climate Change: The Pricing and Ownership of U.S. Green Bonds," NBER Working Papers 25194, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Cai, Xiqian & Lu, Yi & Wu, Mingqin & Yu, Linhui, 2016. "Does environmental regulation drive away inbound foreign direct investment? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 73-85.
    4. Joshua D. Angrist & Jörn-Steffen Pischke, 2009. "Mostly Harmless Econometrics: An Empiricist's Companion," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 8769, December.
    5. Rui Albuquerque & Yrjö Koskinen & Chendi Zhang, 2019. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Risk: Theory and Empirical Evidence," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 65(10), pages 4451-4469, October.
    6. David H. Autor, 2003. "Outsourcing at Will: The Contribution of Unjust Dismissal Doctrine to the Growth of Employment Outsourcing," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 21(1), pages 1-42, January.
    7. Myers, Stewart C. & Majluf, Nicholas S., 1984. "Corporate financing and investment decisions when firms have information that investors do not have," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 187-221, June.
    8. Arifur Khan & Mohammad Muttakin & Javed Siddiqui, 2013. "Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosures: Evidence from an Emerging Economy," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 114(2), pages 207-223, May.
    9. Imen Khanchel & Naima Lassoued, 2022. "ESG Disclosure and the Cost of Capital: Is There a Ratcheting Effect over Time?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-19, July.
    10. Robert G. Eccles & Ioannis Ioannou & George Serafeim, 2014. "The Impact of Corporate Sustainability on Organizational Processes and Performance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 60(11), pages 2835-2857, November.
    11. Guido W. Imbens & Jeffrey M. Wooldridge, 2009. "Recent Developments in the Econometrics of Program Evaluation," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 47(1), pages 5-86, March.
    12. Wang, Jiazhen & Chen, Xin & Li, Xiaoxia & Yu, Jing & Zhong, Rui, 2020. "The market reaction to green bond issuance: Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    13. Salma Mefteh-Wali & Hassen Rais & Guillaume Schier, 2024. "Is CSR linked to idiosyncratic risk? Evidence from the copula approach," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 334(1), pages 799-814, March.
    14. Xiaoguang Zhou & Yadi Cui, 2019. "Green Bonds, Corporate Performance, and Corporate Social Responsibility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-27, December.
    15. Marwan Mansour & Mohammad Fawzi Shubita & Abdalwali Lutfi & Mohammed W. A. Saleh & Mohamed Saad, 2024. "Female CEOs and Green Innovation: Evidence from Asian Firms," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-20, October.
    16. Gunnar Friede & Timo Busch & Alexander Bassen, 2015. "ESG and financial performance: aggregated evidence from more than 2000 empirical studies," Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(4), pages 210-233, October.
    17. Muhammad Alamgir & Ming-Chang Cheng, 2023. "Do Green Bonds Play a Role in Achieving Sustainability?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-27, June.
    18. Tang, Dragon Yongjun & Zhang, Yupu, 2020. "Do shareholders benefit from green bonds?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    19. Flammer, Caroline, 2021. "Corporate green bonds," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 499-516.
    20. Gan, Xiao Dong & Zheng, Xiao Yu & Li, Cong Cong & Zhu, Gui Qin, 2024. "Green bond issuance and trade credit access: Evidence from Chinese bond market," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    21. Edward I. Altman, 1968. "Financial Ratios, Discriminant Analysis And The Prediction Of Corporate Bankruptcy," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 23(4), pages 589-609, September.
    22. Dong, Xiao & Yu, Mingzhe, 2024. "Green bond issuance and green innovation: Evidence from China's energy industry," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    23. Manuel Arellano & Stephen Bond, 1991. "Some Tests of Specification for Panel Data: Monte Carlo Evidence and an Application to Employment Equations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 58(2), pages 277-297.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Aymen Ajina & Ajej Bhiri Najah & Fathi Jouini, 2025. "CO2 Emissions and Firm Performance: Assessing the Effectiveness of the Paris Agreement and the Moderating Role of ESG Performance and ISO 14001 Certification," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(6), pages 8026-8051, November.
    2. Ruan, Qingsong & Li, Chengyu & Lv, Dayong & Wei, Xiaokun, 2025. "Going Green: Effect of green bond issuance on corporate debt financing costs," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 75(PA).
    3. Khan, Muhammad Arif & Vismara, Silvio, 2025. "Green bond issuance and corporate environmental and financial performance: A meta-analysis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    4. Li, Chengming & Guo, Guanyu & Gu, Huangying & Dong, Xiaoqi, 2025. "How green bonds exert a demonstration effect on firms within the same region," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 117-136.
    5. Pengfei Ge & Chuxiong Tang & Yuhui Chen & Yichao Liu & Rui Zhu, 2025. "Green Bonds: Greenwashing or Genuinely Green? A Study Based on Stock Mispricing," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 46(6), pages 3396-3413, September.
    6. Carlos Estevez‐Mendoza & Juan Infante, 2025. "Evolution and relevance of research on Environmental, Social, and Governance factors," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(2), pages 1545-1566, March.
    7. Iulia Lupu & Gheorghe Hurduzeu & Gabriela tigu & Georgiana Cosoveanu & Radu Ion Filip, 2025. "ESG Reporting and Systemic Risk: Evidence from European Markets," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 27(70), pages 869-869, August.
    8. Li, Rongnan & Zhou, Qi & Xu, Weijun, 2025. "Do green bonds have an advantage in information disclosure?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    9. Moran Wang & Yuying Sun & Shouyang Wang, 2026. "Can Chinese firms benefit from issuing carbon–neutral bonds?," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 12(1), pages 1-28, December.
    10. Ballester, Laura & González-Urteaga, Ana & Shen, Long, 2024. "Green bond issuance and credit risk: International evidence," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    11. Angelidis, Timotheos & Michairinas, Athanasios & Sakkas, Athanasios, 2024. "World ESG performance and economic activity," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    12. Cotugno, Matteo & Fiorillo, Paolo & Monferrà, Stefano & Severini, Sabrina, 2025. "ESG incidents and corporate green bond market reaction," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    13. Wang, Congcong & Wang, Chong & Long, Huaigang & Zaremba, Adam, 2025. "Does green bond issuance reduce the cost of bank loans? Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    14. Gillan, Stuart L. & Koch, Andrew & Starks, Laura T., 2021. "Firms and social responsibility: A review of ESG and CSR research in corporate finance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    15. Jing Jia & Zhongtian Li, 2022. "Corporate Environmental Performance and Financial Distress: Evidence from Australia," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 32(2), pages 188-200, June.
    16. Ajithakumari Vijayappan Nair Biju & Sreelekshmi Geetha & Salu Prasad & Aghila Sasidharan & Ambili Jayachandran, 2025. "ESG‐Firm Performance Nexus: Evidence From an Emerging Economy," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(3), pages 3469-3496, March.
    17. Veeravel, V & Murugesan, Vijaya Prabhagar & Narayanamurthy, Vijayakumar, 2024. "Does ESG disclosure really influence the firm performance? Evidence from India," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 193-202.
    18. Huang, Chih-Yueh & Dekker, David & Christopoulos, Dimitrios, 2023. "Rethinking greenium: A quadratic function of yield spread," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    19. Deng, Yang & Zhang, Zhaoqin, 2025. "The spillover effects of green bond issuance in peer firms’ financial performance," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(PA).
    20. Zhang, Chaoyu, 2025. "Green bonds and environmental violations in financially constrained environments," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:34:y:2026:i:s2:p:1135-1154. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-1719 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.