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Is the Stability of Leverage Ratios Determined by the Stability of the Economy?

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  • Anastasiya Shamshur

Abstract

The choice of capital structure by firms is a fundamental issue in financial literature. According to a recent finding, the capital structure of firms remains almost unchanged during their lives meaning that leverage ratios are significantly stable over time. The stability of leverage ratios is mainly generated by an unobserved firm-specific effect that is liable for the majority of variation in capital structure (Lemmon, Roberts, and Zender 2008). However, the study focuses on the US economy, which is relatively stable. I study how substantial changes in the economy affect the stability of firms' capital structure in transition countries. Specifically, I concentrate on Central and Eastern European economies that passed through transition from central planning to a market economy and privatization, the Russian financial crisis, and EU membership. In addition, I investigate whether the ownership structure of firms is responsible for the part of the unexplained variation in leverage.

Suggested Citation

  • Anastasiya Shamshur, 2009. "Is the Stability of Leverage Ratios Determined by the Stability of the Economy?," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp393, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    • Handle: RePEc:cer:papers:wp393
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    Cited by:

    1. Diana Bonfim & Paula Antão, 2012. "The dynamics of capital structure decisions," Working Papers w201206, Banco de Portugal, Economics and Research Department.
    2. İbrahim Yarba & Z. Nuray Güner, 2020. "Leverage dynamics: Do financial development and government leverage matter? Evidence from a major developing economy," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 59(5), pages 2473-2507, November.
    3. Mariya Hake, 2012. "Banking Sector Concentration and Firm Indebtedness: Evidence from Central and Eastern Europe," Focus on European Economic Integration, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue 3, pages 48-68.
    4. Hanousek, Jan & Shamshur, Anastasiya, 2011. "A stubborn persistence: Is the stability of leverage ratios determined by the stability of the economy?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(5), pages 1360-1376.
    5. Anastasiya Shamshur, 2010. "Access to Capital and Capital Structure of the Firm," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp429, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    6. Curtiss, Jarmila, 2012. "Determinants of Financial Capital Use: Review of theories and implications for rural businesses," Factor Markets Working Papers 123, Centre for European Policy Studies.
    7. Snehal S Herwadkar, 2017. "Corporate leverage in EMEs: did the global financial crisis change the determinants?," BIS Working Papers 681, Bank for International Settlements.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Capital Structure; Financing Decisions; Eastern Europe;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models

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