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Bank monitoring: Evidence from syndicated loans

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  • Gustafson, Matthew T.
  • Ivanov, Ivan T.
  • Meisenzahl, Ralf R.

Abstract

We directly measure banks’ monitoring of syndicated loans. Banks typically demand borrower information on at least a monthly basis. About 20% of loans involve active monitoring (i.e., site visits or third-party appraisals). Monitoring increases with the lead bank’s incentives and the value of information and is negatively associated with loan spreads and maturity. The monitoring captured by our measures can either complement or substitute for covenant-based monitoring, depending on whether the monitoring informs covenant compliance. Banks increase monitoring following deteriorations in borrower financial condition and credit line drawdowns. Finally, monitoring is positively related to future covenant violations and loan renegotiations.

Suggested Citation

  • Gustafson, Matthew T. & Ivanov, Ivan T. & Meisenzahl, Ralf R., 2021. "Bank monitoring: Evidence from syndicated loans," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(2), pages 452-477.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfinec:v:139:y:2021:i:2:p:452-477
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jfineco.2020.08.017
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    2. Yanyi Ye & Yun Wang & Xiaoguang Yang, 2022. "Bank loan information and information asymmetry in the stock market: evidence from China," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 8(1), pages 1-28, December.
    3. Chen, Jing & Liu, Xinghe & Ou, Fenghao & Lu, Meiting & Wang, Peipei, 2023. "Green lending and stock price crash risk: Evidence from the green credit reform in China," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    4. Hasan, Iftekhar & Lee, Haekwon & Qiu, Buhui & Saunders, Anthony, 2023. "Climate-related disclosure commitment of the lenders, credit rationing, and borrower environmental performance," Bank of Finland Research Discussion Papers 7/2023, Bank of Finland.
    5. Ivanov, Ivan T. & Zimmermann, Tom, 2024. "The “Privatization” of municipal debt," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 237(C).
    6. Elliott, David & Meisenzahl, Ralf R. & Peydró, José-Luis, 2024. "Nonbank lenders as global shock absorbers: Evidence from US monetary policy spillovers," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
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    8. Degl’Innocenti, Marta & Frigerio, Marco & Zhou, Si, 2022. "Development banks and the syndicate structure: Evidence from a world sample," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 99-120.
    9. Akey, Pat & Grégoire, Vincent & Martineau, Charles, 2022. "Price revelation from insider trading: Evidence from hacked earnings news," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(3), pages 1162-1184.
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    11. Ivan T. Ivanov & Ben Ranish & James Wang, 2023. "Banks' Strategic Responses to Supervisory Coverage: Evidence from a Natural Experiment," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 55(2-3), pages 503-530, March.
    12. Richard Brody & Matias Sokolowski & Reilly White, 2021. "The Potential for Biases in Resolving Loan Problems," International Journal of Finance & Banking Studies, Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 10(3), pages 57-66, July.
    13. Yang-pin Shen & Chou-Yen Wu & Chiuling Lu, 2023. "U.S. REIT banking relationships and syndicated loan pricing," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 61(2), pages 447-479, August.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bank monitoring; Syndicated loans;

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill

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