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Corporate Debt Maturity Matters for Monetary Policy

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Abstract

We provide novel empirical evidence that firms’ investment is more responsive to monetary policy when a higher fraction of their debt matures. In a heterogeneous firm New Keynesian model with financial frictions and endogenous debt maturity, two channels explain this finding: (1.) Firms with more maturing debt have larger roll-over needs and are therefore more exposed to fluctuations in the real interest rate (roll-over risk). (2.) These firms also have higher default risk and therefore react more strongly to changes in the real burden of outstanding nominal debt (debt overhang). Unconventional monetary policy, which operates through long-term interest rates, has larger effects on debt maturity but smaller effects on output and inflation than conventional monetary policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Joachim Jungherr & Matthias Meier & Timo Reinelt & Immo Schott, 2024. "Corporate Debt Maturity Matters for Monetary Policy," International Finance Discussion Papers 1402, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedgif:1402
    DOI: 10.17016/IFDP.2024.1402
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    2. Okan Akarsu & Mehmet Selman Çolak & Hatice Karahan & Huzeyfe Torun, 2025. "The heterogeneous impact of monetary policy announcements on firms’ financial outcomes," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 69(6), pages 3045-3087, December.
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    5. Jiang, Bo & Fu, Liang, 2025. "Corporate investment and shadow banking channel of monetary policy," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    6. Bauer, Michael D. & Offner, Eric A. & Rudebusch, Glenn D., 2025. "Green stocks and monetary policy shocks: Evidence from Europe," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    7. Gulyas, Andreas & Meier, Matthias & Ryzhenkov, Mykola, 2024. "Labor market effects of monetary policy across workers and firms," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    8. Gnewuch, Matthias & Zhang, Donghai, 2025. "Monetary policy, firm heterogeneity, and the distribution of investment rates," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    9. Anyfantaki, Sofia & Migiakis, Petros & Petroulakis, Filippos & Giannakidis, Haris & Malliaropulos, Dimitris, 2026. "Bond funds’ risk taking and monetary policy," Working Paper Series 3196, European Central Bank.
    10. Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye, 2025. "The heterogeneous impact of monetary policy announcements on firms' financial outcomes," BIS Papers chapters, in: Bank for International Settlements (ed.), How can central banks take account of differences across households and firms for monetary policy?, volume 127, pages 295-330, Bank for International Settlements.
    11. Banna, Hasanul & Alam, Ashraful & Chen, Xihui Haviour & Alam, Ahmed W., 2023. "Energy security and economic stability: The role of inflation and war," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    12. Marie Alder & Nuno Coimbra & Urszula Szczerbowicz, 2025. "Corporate debt structure and heterogeneous monetary policy transmission," IFC Bulletins chapters, in: Bank for International Settlements (ed.), Leveraging corporates' financial statements for policy insights, volume 65, Bank for International Settlements.
    13. Bianco, Timothy & Herrera, Ana María, 2025. "Monetary policy and credit flows: A tale of two effective lower bounds," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    14. Valère Fourel & Alice Schwenninger, 2024. "The Impact of the PEPP on the Corporate Commercial Paper Market," Working papers 946, Banque de France.
    15. Stéphane Dupraz, 2023. "The Dynamic IS Curve when there is both Investment and Savings," Working papers 905, Banque de France.
    16. Holm-Hadulla, Fédéric & Thürwächter, Claire, 2024. "Granular shocks to corporate leverage and the macroeconomic transmission of monetary policy," Working Paper Series 2891, European Central Bank.
    17. Okan Akarsu & Mehmet Selman Colak & Hatice Karahan & Huzeyfe Torun, 2025. "The Heterogeneous Impact of Monetary Policy Announcements on Firms’ Financial Outcomes," Working Papers 2514, Research and Monetary Policy Department, Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey.
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    19. Matthias Gnewuch, 2024. "Monetary policy, firm heterogeneity, and the distribution of investment rates," Working Papers 61, European Stability Mechanism.

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    JEL classification:

    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy

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