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Firms’ Financing Dynamics around Lumpy Capacity Adjustments

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  • Christoph Görtz
  • Plutarchos Sakellaris
  • John D. Tsoukalas

Abstract

We study how firms adjust their financial positions around the times when they undertake lumpy adjustments in capital or employment. Using U.S. firm level data, we document systematic patterns of cash and debt financing around lumpy adjustment, remarkably similar across capital and employment. Firm-specific fundamentals reflected in Tobin’s Q, profitability and productivity are leading indicators of the lumpy adjustment. Cash and debt capacity are actively manipulated, and contribute significantly quantitatively, to increase financial resources in anticipation of the expansion of firm capacity. Lumpy contractions in productive capacity follow years where firms reduce cash balances and hold above average levels of debt. During and after contractions, firms rebuild cash and reduce debt growth significantly in a concerted effort to restore financial resources by adjusting their productive operations.

Suggested Citation

  • Christoph Görtz & Plutarchos Sakellaris & John D. Tsoukalas, 2022. "Firms’ Financing Dynamics around Lumpy Capacity Adjustments," CESifo Working Paper Series 9977, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_9977
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    lumpy adjustment; firm capital and employment dynamics; leverage; debt; cash;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles

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