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Financial covenants in the markets for public and private debt

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  • Paul Mather
  • Graham Peirson

Abstract

The public debt contracts surveyed in Whittred and Zimmer (1986) and Stokes and Tay (1988) were issued between 1962 and 1985, and there has been significant macroeconomic, institutional and regulatory change since that time. We analyse a sample of 36 recently issued Australian public debt contracts and document a considerable change in the ‘package’ of financial covenants used in public debt contracts. The covenant package is now less restrictive and the types of covenants used are more heterogenous. We also survey a sample of 41 recent Australian private debt contracts. These contracts contain a greater number, variety and, collectively, more restrictive set of financial covenants than those public debt contracts we survey, supporting theory which suggests that covenant restrictive and renegotiation–flexible contracts are more suited to borrowers contracting with financial intermediaries in private debt markets. We also note differences in accounting rules associated with financial covenants used in these private debt contracts.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Mather & Graham Peirson, 2006. "Financial covenants in the markets for public and private debt," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 46(2), pages 285-307, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:46:y:2006:i:2:p:285-307
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-629X.2006.00168.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Diamond, Douglas W, 1991. "Monitoring and Reputation: The Choice between Bank Loans and Directly Placed Debt," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 99(4), pages 689-721, August.
    2. Berlin, Mitchell & Mester, Loretta J., 1992. "Debt covenants and renegotiation," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 2(2), pages 95-133, June.
    3. Isaac Otchere, 2003. "Accounting and Finance at forty: a retrospective evaluation," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 43(2), pages 211-230, July.
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    2. Neil Fargher & Baljit K. Sidhu & Ann Tarca & Warrick van Zyl, 2019. "Accounting for financial instruments with characteristics of debt and equity: finding a way forward," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 59(1), pages 7-58, March.
    3. Karen Benson & Peter M Clarkson & Tom Smith & Irene Tutticci, 2015. "A review of accounting research in the Asia Pacific region," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 40(1), pages 36-88, February.
    4. Thi Thai Ha Le & Xuan Hung Nguyen & Manh Dung Tran, 2019. "Determinants of Dividend Payout Policy in Emerging Markets: Evidence from the ASEAN Region," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 9(4), pages 531-546, April.
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    6. Asimakopoulos, Panagiotis & Asimakopoulos, Stylianos & Li, Xinyu, 2023. "The role of environmental, social, and governance rating on corporate debt structure," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    7. Bazzana, Flavio & Zadorozhnaya, Anna & Gabriele, Roberto, 2018. "The role of covenants in bond issue. The case of Russian companies," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 1-18.
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    9. Brockman, Paul & Unlu, Emre, 2009. "Dividend policy, creditor rights, and the agency costs of debt," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(2), pages 276-299, May.
    10. Jabbouri, Imad, 2016. "Determinants of corporate dividend policy in emerging markets: Evidence from MENA stock markets," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 283-298.
    11. Dean Hanlon, 2019. "Mandatory accounting change and debt covenant violation: Additional evidence from SFAS 150," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 44(3), pages 355-387, August.
    12. David Hillier & Beatriz Martínez & Pankaj C. Patel & Julio Pindado & Ignacio Requejo, 2018. "Pound of Flesh? Debt Contract Strictness and Family Firms," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 42(2), pages 259-282, March.
    13. Flavio Bazzana & Marco Palmieri, 2012. "How to increase the efficiency of bond covenants: a proposal for the Italian corporate market," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 327-346, October.
    14. Intan Suryani Abu Bakar & Arifur Khan & Paul Mather & George Tanewski, 2020. "Board monitoring and covenant restrictiveness in private debt contracts during the global financial crisis," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(S1), pages 661-692, April.
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