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Financing investment spikes in the years surrounding World War I⁎

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  • Bargeron, Leonce
  • Denis, David
  • Lehn, Kenneth

Abstract

In the period surrounding World War I, US firms sharply increased investment in fixed assets and working capital to accommodate large increases in demand associated with the war. Concurrently, the US adopted an excess profits tax, which created a tax bias in favor of equity financing. Despite this tax bias, firms in need of external funds largely issued debt, not equity, to finance investment spikes when the excess profits tax was in effect. Further, we find these firms systematically reduced debt after the war, whereas other firms did not. The results support models that link the dynamics of firms’ financing decisions with the dynamics of their investment opportunities and are inconsistent with models that emphasize taxes as a primary determinant of financing decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Bargeron, Leonce & Denis, David & Lehn, Kenneth, 2018. "Financing investment spikes in the years surrounding World War I⁎," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(2), pages 215-236.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfinec:v:130:y:2018:i:2:p:215-236
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jfineco.2018.07.003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Kang, Ya & Li, Oliver Zhen & Lin, Yupeng, 2021. "Tax incidence in loan pricing," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(1).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Capital structure; Financing flexibility; Investment spikes; Corporate taxes;
    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
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation

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