Capital structure dynamics of Indian corporates

The purpose of this paper is to test empirically the financing behavior and the adjustment speed of capital structure by information asymmetry in a integrated framework. In this paper, we use firm-size measuring-value of information asymmetry. Target leverage ratio use two way that one is estimated value and the other is average leverage ratio value. The sample of firms comes from the period of 2003∼2007. According to static tradeoff theory, an optimum financial structure exist by the tradeoff between tax saving by debt and bankrupcy costs. The main results of this study can be summarized as follows. First, Korean listed firms pursue the target capital structure. The results of this study show that Korean listed firms have a significant positive degree gap between the target leverage ratios and the actual leverage ratios. This results suggest that firms may have debt financing behavior toward the target capital structure. Second, Korean firms whose the target leverage ratio is above the actual ratio are expected to increase actual leverage ratio to meet target capital structure. Using samples of this category, there are no significant differences of the gap between the target leverage ratios and the actual leverage ratios between large firms and small firms. Low information asymmetry firms are likely to know their target capital structure compare to high information asymmetry firms. Thus, low information asymmetry firms can change the capital structure when they needed. But, the small firms with high information asymmetry have difficulties to know their target capital structure. The insignificant results may comes from their problems of capturing the target capital structure. Third, firms whose target leverage ratio is below the actual ratio are expected to reduce the actual leverage ratio. Using the average ratio as measure of the target ratio, the results indicate that the gap between the target leverage ratios and the actual leverage ratios is significant negative for the large firms of this category. The results suggest that the large firms can easily change the target capital structure compare to the small firms. Fourth, it is expected that high information asymmetry firms tend to borrow money rather than issue corporate bonds due to the costs of issue. However, the results are insignificant. This may be sampling error due to the selection limitation of the listed firms. For the finer measurement of the information asymmetry, various proxies such as analysts reports and the ratio of book and market values are recommended for the further study. Fifth, the adjustment speed of the capital structure for total Korean listed sample firms is close to 0.27. which is similar but lower than the results of the previous Korean listed firms studies. The results show the adjustment speed for the large firms is lower than that of the small firms. The adjustment speed of the capital structure for the large firms close about 24 percents of the gap between their actual and target debt ratio within one year. The adjustment speed of the capital structure for the small firms close about 36 percents of the gap between their actual and target debt ratio within one year. This results suggest that the small firms' adjustment speed of capital structure is faster than the large firms' adjustment speed of capital structure. The results are similar to the previous Korean listed firms studies. However, this is not supported by the hypothesis that the large firms have fast adjustment speed due to the low information asymmetry. When there is a gap between the target leverage ratio and the actual leverage ratio, firms are expected to reduce this gap by taking financing behavior. This paper empirically examined the financing behavior and the adjustment speed of the capital structure for Korean listed firms based on information asymmetry framework. Firm size is used as the proxy for information asymmetry.

According to F. A. Hayek, Keynes' General Theory neglects an analysis of the production structure. As a contribution to this research gap, we look at companies' decisions to finance investments and at their agility to adjust their capital structure. We thus study the relationship between capital structure to finance corporate production and shifts in aggregate demand. Target capital structure determinants and speeds of adjustment to these target capital structures will be analyzed for a geographically comprehensive sample of 2,706 companies listed in Asia, Europe and the U.S.A. in the period 1995 – 2009. Aggregate demand turns out to be the coordinating force which determines managers' choices of target capital structures. The speed of adjustments towards target capital structures indicate that firms are agile in adapting to their targets. Our results provide evidence on Keynes' General Theory from a firm level perspective: Firms respond quickly to shifts in aggregate demand by adjusting capital and production structure correspondingly.

This study investigates the role of stock market return in explaining capital structure of Thai firms, the relation between firm attributions and inert behavior in readjusting toward target capital structure, and the longevity of capital structure readjustment toward target capital structure. Our sample group comprises the data on non-fmancial firms listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. The period lasts from 1992 to 2002. The result of study reveals that studied firms fail to readjust capital structure toward target capital structure in response to changing market value of firm in both short term and long term. Moreover, it finds a positive association between return on firm asset and tendency of rebounding toward target capital structure and a negative relation between firm size and tendency of rebounding toward target capital structure which can be said that the large or less profitable firms clearly behave more inertly in readjusting capital structure toward target capital structure than the small and more profitable firms. In addition, it can be implied that the observed capital structure is determined mainly and primarily by change of market value of firm stock rather than by attempts at firm value maximization and firms put less significance on optimum capital structure in practice.

Target capital structure choice and capital structure adjustment speed vary over time due to the different company characteristics and macroeconomic conditions. Based on the unbalanced panel data of Chinese nonfinancial listed companies from 1997 to 2006, this article builds a partial adjustment capital structure model which endogenize some decisive factors of target capital structure, and the empirical results show that the company's capital structure is significantly influenced by firm-specific characteristics as well as macroeconomic factors, and the adjustment speed of company's capital structure is significantly influenced by macroeconomic factors which are defined by GDP growth rate or term spread. Companies adjust to their target leverage faster in good macroeconomic conditions than in bad macroeconomic conditions.

An optimal capital structure is the fundamental premise of dynamic trade-off theory. However, firms deviate from the optimal level and display adjustment behaviour. This mechanism is referred to as the speed of adjustment towards the point of optimality and implies an examination of the convergence process towards the optimal level. One of the key issues in manufacturing companies is their leverage ratios (Mukherjee and Mahakud, 2012); hence, we aim to investigate the capital structure dynamics of manufacturing firms in India. Included in this investigation is a sample of 55 Indian manufacturing firms listed on the NSE200 from 2009 to 2016. Based on the dynamic panel data model with system generalised method of moments (GMM) estimation, our findings indicate an adjustment speed for the sample firms of around 25%, with a half-life of nearly 2.4 years.

Key factors influencing capital structure decision and its speed of adjustment of Thai listed real estate companies

Examination of optimal capital structure in financial markets with imperfections suggests that when deviations from optimal capital structure occur, adjustment costs may prevent firms from moving towards target capital structure. However, previous studies on the capital structure of non-financial firms in Nigeria did not consider these imperfections and adjustment costs. It is against this background that this study investigates the dynamic adjustment to target capital structure by non-financial firms listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. By utilizing a framework that provides for the determination of adjustment costs, the results reveal the existence of dynamic adjustment to optimal capital structure suggesting attempts made by the sampled firms to maximize shareholders wealth. A comparison of the adjustment costs with those of firms in more developed economies shows that Nigerian firms have higher costs of adjustment indicating that the level of development of the market is important in lowering transaction costs. In addition, tangibility of assets, non-debt tax shield, growth opportunity, firm size, profitability and inflation significantly influence Nigerian firms’ optimal capital structure.

PurposeThis paper aims to test the empirical validity of the dynamic trade-off theory in its symmetric and asymmetric versions in explaining the capital structure of a panel of publicly listed US industrial firms over the period from 2013 to 2019. It analyzes the existence of an adjustment of leverage toward its target level and whether the speed of this adjustment is influenced by the debt measure, the model specification or/and the fact that the actual debt ratio is higher or lower than its long-term target level.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a quantitative research methodology using panel data analysis under the partial adjustment model and the error correction model using the generalized moment method in first differences and in systems to explore the dynamic nature of firms’ capital structure behavior.FindingsThe results show that the effects of the conventional determinants of leverage are globally consistent with the trade-off theory predictions. The dynamic versions confirm that firms exhibit leverage-targeting behavior. Although this speed of adjustment (SOA) depends on the debt and model specifications, it is around 60% on average. The estimated SOA is higher for the market leverage measure compared to the book leverage. The asymmetric adjustment model reveals that firms are more sensitive to reducing leverage than increasing it when they are away from their target; overleveraged firms exhibit approximately 5% faster adjustment than underleveraged firms when book leverage is used.Originality/valueThe originality of this research paper lies in its development and test of an asymmetric model to allow the leverage adjustment speed to vary depending on whether the firm’s debt ratio is above or below its target level and the methodological approach as well as the different model specifications used and the insights generated through the application of rigorous econometric techniques.

Regional variation in the capital structure adjustment speed of listed firms: Evidence from China

This paper identifies factors determining capital structure and estimates the speed at which firms adjust to optimal debt in Malaysian and Indonesian manufacturing firms. It uses the difference Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator and the partial adjustment model in a sample of 141 Malaysian and 96 Indonesian firms, which include many of the major manufacture companies in these economies. The results suggest the existence of dynamic capital structure in both countries, but differences in adjustment speed towards optimal debt and factors affecting the optimal debt levels are evident between these countries. Firm-specific factors such as tangibility of assets, non-debt tax shield, and profitability significantly affect optimal debt in both countries. However, most countryspecific factors are insignificant determinants, GDP in Malaysia being the sole exception. The findings of this study are helpful for corporate managers, policymakers, and regulatory authorities in monitoring the amount of debt used by the firms and their adjustment speed towards target debt to avoid the bankruptcies. Financial reforms can be worked out in these economies to better support the firms in use of optimal debt.

This study examines the impact of corporate governance determinants on the capital structure of manufacturing firms listed on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE). Using a purposive sampling of 15 manufacturing firms, we collect secondary data for 14 years. We employ a system generalized method of moments (GMM) approach to address endogeneity issues. Apart from firms using more short-term debt financing than long-term debt, we report a significant positive relationship between managerial and institutional ownership and capital structure. There is a statistically significant and positive relationship between ownership concentration on both the short- and long-term debt ratios. Regarding company financial management, the study offers several recommendations and practical implications. Our findings have implications for improved management performance and corporate governance policies that lead to value-relevant capital structure decisions. The study also provides empirical support for the idea that firms might benefit from reduced agency costs and lower cost of capital if they implement appropriate corporate governance mechanisms. We provide support for the agency and pecking order theories. Future research could consider broader corporate governance variables and optimal capital structure.

Corporate governance and the dynamics of capital structure: New evidence

Life cycle of the firm has an important role in the dynamics of firm’s capital structure. A firm will take different funding decision along the life cycle because the firm’s characteristics that affect the capital structure will adjust itself as the tranformation of the life cycle occuring. The research objectives were to analize the dynamic of firm’s capital structure across three-life cycle stages of Indonesian manufacturing companies listed with a total sample of 121 companies observed during the period from 2011 to 2016. By using dynamic panel data analysis with Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) model, we find that profitability and liquidity affect the firm’s life cycle for a growing stage, meanwhile the fixed asset, growth opportunities, profitability, and liquidity affect the capital structure for a mature stage, whereas only liquidity that affects capital structure for a decline stage. The coefficient of lag dependent variable of GMM model representing the previous year capital structure showed an adjustment rate of capital structure. The lowest speed of adjustment occurred on the decline stage which was orderly followed by the growth and mature stage. Keywords: capital structure, life cycle of firm, firm’s characteristics, dynamic panel data analysis

Sandvik to close ten more production units

Past literature attempts to resolve the issue of the motivation behind managers' choice of a given capital structure. Despite several decades of intensive research, there is still no consensus about which theory dominates capital structure decisions. The present study empirically investigates the relative importance of two prominent theories of capital structure- the trade-off and the pecking order theories by exploring the conditions under which each theory can explain the financing choices of firms. These conditions are defined along two dimensions: (i) a firm's degree of information asymmetry, and (ii) its observed leverage relative to target leverage. The results show that, in the short-run, pecking order theory has more explanatory power in explaining the financing choices of firms. The target leverage theory assumes limited importance: Over-leveraged firms, when faced with low adverse information, are more inclined to adapt to the trade-off policies. In the presence of high information asymmetry, however, firms appear to be more concerned about adverse selection costs and make financing decisions that are more consistent with the pecking order theory. An analysis of the market reaction to seasoned equity issuances during announcement periods reveals that firms with high information asymmetry are penalized more than firms with low information asymmetry. This may explain the contradiction when over-leveraged firms continue to issue debt. However, the situation is reversed in the long run. Firms' long term financing goals appear to follow the leverage re-balancing theory. An analysis of financial activities over a five-year period, subsequent to security issuance decisions when they appear to be inconsistent with trade-off theory, reveals that firms follow an active policy of moving closer to the target leverage. In sum, the notion of target capital structure appears to exist. In the short-term, the management's financing decisions are consistent with the modified version of the pecking order theory, leading to tactical deviations from the optimal capital structure. However, long-term analysis indicates that the pecking order effect is largely transitory in nature and firms actively pursue strategic reversals towards an optimal capital structure.