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Optimal size, optimal timing and optimal financing of an investment

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  • Sarkar, Sudipto

Abstract

Corporate investment is an important determinant of economic well-being. The existing literature identifies optimal investment size and timing without the possibility of debt financing, as well as the effect of debt financing on investment timing without the option to choose investment size. This paper contributes to the literature by identifying the optimal size, optimal timing and optimal financing for an investment when the firm controls all three decisions (as it usually does in practice). The investment size and investment trigger are generally positively related: when investment is delayed (accelerated) it is larger (smaller) in size, thus the overall effect on investment is ambiguous. However, when tax rate or bankruptcy cost is increased, the trigger rises and size falls, hence the effect on investment is unambiguously negative. The effect of debt financing on investment depends on the amount of debt used; with the optimal amount of debt, investment is delayed relative to the no-debt case, and this delay can be economically significant; however, the investment, when eventually made, will be larger in size. Overall, it is not appropriate to ignore either the firm’s ability to choose investment size or its option to use debt financing, when modeling the investment decision.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarkar, Sudipto, 2011. "Optimal size, optimal timing and optimal financing of an investment," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 681-689.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jmacro:v:33:y:2011:i:4:p:681-689
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jmacro.2011.08.002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bar-Ilan, Avner & Strange, William C., 1999. "The Timing and Intensity of Investment," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 57-77, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Xiang, Hua & Yang, Zhaojun, 2015. "Investment timing and capital structure with loan guarantees," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 13(C), pages 179-187.
    2. Dosi Cesare & Moretto Michele & Tamborini Roberto, 2022. "Do balanced-budget fiscal stimuli of investment increase its economic value?," German Economic Review, De Gruyter, vol. 23(2), pages 157-179, May.
    3. Lukas, Elmar & Spengler, Thomas Stefan & Kupfer, Stefan & Kieckhäfer, Karsten, 2017. "When and how much to invest? Investment and capacity choice under product life cycle uncertainty," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 260(3), pages 1105-1114.
    4. 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.
    5. Gan, Liu & Xia, Xin & Chen, Yifei, 2018. "Investment and financing choices by time-inconsistent managers," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 29-48.
    6. Cesare Dosi & Michele Moretto & Roberto Tamborini, 2019. "Balanced-Budget Fiscal Stimuli of Investment and Welfare Value," EconPol Working Paper 28, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    7. Mohamed Belhaj & Nataliya Klimenko, 2012. "On the Role of External Financing Costs in Optimal Investment Decisions," AMSE Working Papers 1241, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Real option model; Investment timing; Investment size; Corporate financing decision; Capacity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G3 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance

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