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Can tax convexity be ignored in corporate financing decisions?

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  • Sarkar, Sudipto

Abstract

The standard modeling practice in corporate finance has been to assume a linear tax schedule. This paper extends the structural contingent-claim model of corporate finance to incorporate a more realistic convex tax schedule. It is shown that tax convexity raises the optimal default boundary and thus increases the likelihood of default, and also reduces the optimal leverage ratio. While the former effect seems insignificant in general, the effect of tax convexity on the optimal leverage ratio can be quantitatively significant. We conclude that tax convexity should not be ignored in corporate financing decisions, and theoretical models should use a convex tax schedule instead of a linear one. Thus, the short answer to the question in the title is "No".

Suggested Citation

  • Sarkar, Sudipto, 2008. "Can tax convexity be ignored in corporate financing decisions?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(7), pages 1310-1321, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbfina:v:32:y:2008:i:7:p:1310-1321
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    2. Lukas, Elmar & Thiergart, Sascha, 2019. "The interaction of debt financing, cash grants and the optimal investment policy under uncertainty," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 276(1), pages 284-299.
    3. Nishihara, Michi & Shibata, Takashi, 2016. "Asset sale, debt restructuring, and liquidation," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 73-92.
    4. Nishihara, Michi & Shibata, Takashi, 2014. "Preemption, leverage, and financing constraints," Review of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 75-89.
    5. Adrian C. H. Lei & Martin H. Y. Yick & Keith S. K. Lam, 2014. "The effects of tax convexity on default and investment decisions," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(11), pages 1267-1278, April.
    6. Lutz Kruschwitz & Andreas Löffler, 2018. "Valuing the Tax Shield under Asymmetric Taxation," Schmalenbach Business Review, Springer;Schmalenbach-Gesellschaft, vol. 70(1), pages 3-17, February.
    7. Wu, Haoyang & Jiao, Ziyan & Wang, Shipeng & Wu, Zhiruo, 2024. "Corporate mergers and acquisitions: A strategic approach to mitigate expected default frequency," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    8. Michi Nishihara, 2014. "Valuation of sequential R&D investment under technological, market, and rival preemption uncertainty," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 14-13, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.
    9. Nishihara, Michi & Shibata, Takashi, 2021. "Optimal capital structure and simultaneous bankruptcy of firms in corporate networks," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    10. Adrian Lei & Martin Yick & Keith Lam, 2013. "Does tax convexity matter for risk? A dynamic study of tax asymmetry and equity beta," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 41(1), pages 131-147, July.
    11. Sébastien Duchêne & Adrien Nguyen-Huu & Dimitri Dubois & Marc Willinger, 2022. "Risk-return trade-offs in the context of environmental impact: a lab-in-the-field experiment with finance professionals," Working Papers hal-03883121, HAL.
    12. Andreas Andrikopoulos, 2012. "The Capital Structure Choice and the Consumption Tax," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 3-22.
    13. Flavia Barsotti & Maria Elvira Mancino & Monique Pontier, 2011. "Corporate Debt Value with Switching Tax Benefits and Payouts," Working Papers - Mathematical Economics 2011-10, Universita' degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Scienze per l'Economia e l'Impresa.
    14. Michi Nishihara & Takashi Shibata, 2010. "Interactions between Preemptive Competition and a Financing Constraint," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(4), pages 1013-1042, December.
    15. Wong, Kit Pong, 2009. "Progressive taxation, tax exemption, and corporate liquidation policy," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 295-299, March.
    16. Wu, Dexiang & Cheng, Huihui & Luo, Cuicui & Han, Liyan, 2022. "Does government initiated corporate social responsibility lower the default risk? Evidence from the targeted poverty alleviation campaign in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    17. Sami Attaoui, 2016. "Capital Structure And Tax Convexity When The Maturity Of Debt Is Finite," International Journal of Theoretical and Applied Finance (IJTAF), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 19(01), pages 1-20, February.
    18. Hervé Roche, 2022. "The implications of tax loss carryforwards on investment policy," Mathematics and Financial Economics, Springer, volume 16, number 6, February.
    19. Kit Wong, 2010. "On the neutrality of debt in investment intensity," Annals of Finance, Springer, vol. 6(3), pages 335-356, July.

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