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The Flip Side of Financial Synergies:Coinsurance versus Risk Contamination

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  • Albert Banal-Estañol
  • Marco Ottaviani
  • Andrew Winton

Abstract

This paper characterizes when joint financing of two projects through debt increases expected default costs, contrary to conventional wisdom. Separate financing dominates joint financing when risk-contamination losses (associated to the contagious default of a well-performing project that is dragged down by a poorly-performing project) outweigh standard coinsurance gains. Separate financing becomes more attractive than joint financing when the fraction of returns lost under default increases and when projects have lower mean returns, higher variability, more positive correlation, and more negative skewness. These predictions are broadly consistent with existing evidence on conglomerate mergers, spin-offs, project finance, and securitization. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Codes: G32, G34. Keywords: Default costs, conglomeration, mergers, spin-offs, project finance, risk contamination, coinsurance.

Suggested Citation

  • Albert Banal-Estañol & Marco Ottaviani & Andrew Winton, 2013. "The Flip Side of Financial Synergies:Coinsurance versus Risk Contamination," Working Papers 475, IGIER (Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research), Bocconi University.
    • Handle: RePEc:igi:igierp:475
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    default costs; conglomeration; mergers; spin-offs; project finance; risk contamination; coinsurance.;
    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
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance

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