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Supplier concentration and the speed of capital structure adjustment

Author

Listed:
  • Liu, Yi
  • Wu, Kai
  • Ruan, Sirui
  • Kassar, Maher

Abstract

Using a large sample of A-share Chinese firms from 2012 to 2019, we show a positive relationship between supplier concentration and leverage adjustment speed. This positive relationship is unidirectional and primarily concentrated among over-leveraged firms rather than among under-leveraged ones. Moreover, the effect of supplier concentration is more pronounced in firms with greater bargaining power over suppliers. A plausible channel is the monitoring role imposed by suppliers, which mitigates the firm’s agency conflicts by reducing (1) information asymmetry between informed managers and uninformed market participants and (2) management opportunism and slacking. Further, we show that firms with higher supplier concentrations are more active in the security market due to having lower agency costs. Our findings demonstrate the crucial role of customer–supplier relationships in a firm’s capital structure dynamics.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Yi & Wu, Kai & Ruan, Sirui & Kassar, Maher, 2024. "Supplier concentration and the speed of capital structure adjustment," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:pacfin:v:85:y:2024:i:c:s0927538x24000799
    DOI: 10.1016/j.pacfin.2024.102328
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Supplier concentration; Capital structure adjustment; Monitoring role; Agency conflicts;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • 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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