IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eis/articl/224gloer.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Institutional Investors, Capital Structure, and Financial Turmoil: A European Cross-Country Study

Author

Listed:
  • C Glöer

Abstract

This study examines the impact of institutional ownership on corporate financing decisions, particularly in the midst of financial turmoil. The dataset encompasses 8,049 firm-year observations from 1,138 non-financial firms listed in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The observation period ranges from January 2002 to December 2018. Employing a multiple structural break analysis and several multivariate regression models, the results illustrate a significantly negative influence of institutional ownership on the debt ratio. This impact amplifies during periods of financial turmoil, with a heightened effect observed in the post-crisis era compared to the pre-crisis period. Regarding institutional investors’ heterogeneity, this study also highlights substantial differences between grey and independent institutions, but not between domestic and foreign institutions. Additional empirical tests underscore the causality of the effect. These findings even withstand robustness checks, including a comprehensive set of firm-specific capital structure determinants, diverse investor type classifications, and various subsamples.

Suggested Citation

  • C Glöer, 2024. "Institutional Investors, Capital Structure, and Financial Turmoil: A European Cross-Country Study," Economic Issues Journal Articles, Economic Issues, vol. 29(2), pages 1-27, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eis:articl:224gloer
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.economicissues.org.uk/Files/2024/EI_Autumn2024_gloer.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Emirhan Ilhan & Philipp Krueger & Zacharias Sautner & Laura T Starks, 2023. "Climate Risk Disclosure and Institutional Investors," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 36(7), pages 2617-2650.
    2. Casey, Eddie & O'Toole, Conor M., 2014. "Bank lending constraints, trade credit and alternative financing during the financial crisis: Evidence from European SMEs," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 173-193.
    3. Ferreira, Miguel A. & Matos, Pedro & Pereira, João Pedro & Pires, Pedro, 2017. "Do locals know better? A comparison of the performance of local and foreign institutional investors," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 151-164.
    4. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    5. Blundell, Richard & Bond, Stephen, 1998. "Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 115-143, August.
    6. Sanford J. Grossman & Oliver D. Hart, 1982. "Corporate Financial Structure and Managerial Incentives," NBER Chapters, in: The Economics of Information and Uncertainty, pages 107-140, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Jensen, Michael C, 1986. "Agency Costs of Free Cash Flow, Corporate Finance, and Takeovers," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(2), pages 323-329, May.
    8. N Mozumder & G De Vita & K.S. Kyaw & C Larkin, 2015. "Volatility Spillover Between Stock Prices and Exchange Rates: New Evidence Across the Recent Financial Crisis Period," Economic Issues Journal Articles, Economic Issues, vol. 20(1), pages 43-64, March.
    9. Kang, Jun-Koo & Luo, Juan & Na, Hyun Seung, 2018. "Are institutional investors with multiple blockholdings effective monitors?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(3), pages 576-602.
    10. Aggarwal, Reena & Erel, Isil & Ferreira, Miguel & Matos, Pedro, 2011. "Does governance travel around the world? Evidence from institutional investors," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(1), pages 154-181, April.
    11. Sabri Boubaker & Wael Rouatbi & Walid Saffar, 2017. "The Role of Multiple Large Shareholders in the Choice of Debt Source," Financial Management, Financial Management Association International, vol. 46(1), pages 241-274, March.
    12. Antoniou, Antonios & Guney, Yilmaz & Paudyal, Krishna, 2008. "The Determinants of Capital Structure: Capital Market-Oriented versus Bank-Oriented Institutions," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 43(1), pages 59-92, March.
    13. Douglas W. Diamond, 1984. "Financial Intermediation and Delegated Monitoring," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 51(3), pages 393-414.
    14. Brickley, James A. & Lease, Ronald C. & Smith, Clifford Jr., 1988. "Ownership structure and voting on antitakeover amendments," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(1-2), pages 267-291, January.
    15. Donghui Li & Fariborz Moshirian & Peter Kien Pham & Jason Zein, 2006. "When Financial Institutions Are Large Shareholders: The Role of Macro Corporate Governance Environments," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 61(6), pages 2975-3007, December.
    16. Saunders, Anthony & Song, Keke, 2018. "Bank monitoring and CEO risk-taking incentives," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 225-240.
    17. Li, Kai & Yue, Heng & Zhao, Longkai, 2009. "Ownership, institutions, and capital structure: Evidence from China," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 471-490, September.
    18. Mark T. Leary & Michael R. Roberts, 2005. "Do Firms Rebalance Their Capital Structures?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 60(6), pages 2575-2619, December.
    19. DeAngelo, Harry, 2022. "The Capital Structure Puzzle: What Are We Missing?," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 57(2), pages 413-454, March.
    20. Wintoki, M. Babajide & Linck, James S. & Netter, Jeffry M., 2012. "Endogeneity and the dynamics of internal corporate governance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(3), pages 581-606.
    21. Brian J. Bushee, 2001. "Do Institutional Investors Prefer Near†Term Earnings over Long†Run Value?," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 18(2), pages 207-246, June.
    22. Kim, Incheol & Miller, Steve & Wan, Hong & Wang, Bin, 2016. "Drivers behind the monitoring effectiveness of global institutional investors: Evidence from earnings management," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 24-46.
    23. D'Aurizio, Leandro & Oliviero, Tommaso & Romano, Livio, 2015. "Family firms, soft information and bank lending in a financial crisis," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 279-292.
    24. Malcolm Baker & Jeffrey Wurgler, 2002. "Market Timing and Capital Structure," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 57(1), pages 1-32, February.
    25. Ferreira, Miguel A. & Matos, Pedro, 2008. "The colors of investors' money: The role of institutional investors around the world," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(3), pages 499-533, June.
    26. Chen, Xia & Harford, Jarrad & Li, Kai, 2007. "Monitoring: Which institutions matter?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(2), pages 279-305, November.
    27. Brown, Stephen & Dutordoir, Marie & Veld, Chris & Veld-Merkoulova, Yulia, 2019. "What is the role of institutional investors in corporate capital structure decisions? A survey analysis," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 270-286.
    28. Chung, Chune Young & Wang, Kainan, 2014. "Do institutional investors monitor management? Evidence from the relationship between institutional ownership and capital structure," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 203-233.
    29. Timothy J. Brailsford & Barry R. Oliver & Sandra L. H. Pua, 2002. "On the relation between ownership structure and capital structure," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 42(1), pages 1-26, March.
    30. Lin, Chen & Ma, Yue & Malatesta, Paul & Xuan, Yuhai, 2013. "Corporate ownership structure and the choice between bank debt and public debt," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(2), pages 517-534.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chung, Chune Young & Hur, Seok-Kyun & Liu, Chang, 2019. "Institutional investors and cost stickiness: Theory and evidence," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 336-350.
    2. Wang, Qin (Emma) & Zhang, Jun, 2023. "Local institutional investors and debt maturity," Journal of Financial Markets, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    3. An, Zhe & Chen, Chen & Li, Donghui & Yin, Chao, 2021. "Foreign institutional ownership and the speed of leverage adjustment: International evidence," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    4. Lieven Baert & Rudi Vander Vennet, 2009. "Bank Ownership, Firm Value and Firm Capital Structure in Europe," Working Paper / FINESS 2.2, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    5. Xiaoyan Chen & Xin Ling, 2017. "Determinants of Chinese equity financing behaviours: traditional model and the alternatives," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57, pages 69-100, April.
    6. Drobetz, Wolfgang & Ehlert, Sebastian & Schröder, Henning, 2021. "Institutional ownership and firm performance in the global shipping industry," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    7. Temimi, Akram & Zeitun, Rami & Mimouni, Karim, 2016. "How does the tax status of a country impact capital structure? Evidence from the GCC region," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 37, pages 71-89.
    8. Ebrahim, M. Shahid & Girma, Sourafel & Shah, M. Eskandar & Williams, Jonathan, 2014. "Dynamic capital structure and political patronage: The case of Malaysia," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 117-128.
    9. Cline, Brandon N. & Fu, Xudong & Tang, Tian, 2020. "Shareholder investment horizons and bank debt financing," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    10. Wang, Bin & Luo, Yan, 2024. "Institutional investors, heterogeneity, and capital structure decisions: Evidence from an emerging market," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    11. Dasgupta, Amil & Fos, Vyacheslav & Sautner, Zacharias, 2021. "Institutional investors and corporate governance," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 112114, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    12. Mário Santos & António Moreira & Elisabete Vieira, 2014. "Ownership concentration, contestability, family firms, and capital structure," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 18(4), pages 1063-1107, November.
    13. Hideaki Sakawa & Naoki Watanabel, 2020. "Institutional Ownership and Firm Performance under Stakeholder-Oriented Corporate Governance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-21, January.
    14. Gomes, Armando & Phillips, Gordon, 2012. "Why do public firms issue private and public securities?," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 21(4), pages 619-658.
    15. Kang, Sanggyu & Chung, Chune Young & Kim, Dong-Soon, 2019. "The effect of institutional blockholders' short-termism on firm innovation: Evidence from the Korean market," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    16. Biswajit Ghose, 2017. "Impact of Business Group Affiliation on Capital Structure Adjustment Speed: Evidence from Indian Manufacturing Sector," Emerging Economy Studies, International Management Institute, vol. 3(1), pages 54-67, May.
    17. Chi, Jing & Liao, Jing & Yang, Jingjing, 2019. "Institutional stock ownership and firm innovation: Evidence from China," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 44-57.
    18. He, Lerong & Huang, Liying & Fang, Liting, 2022. "Institutional conditions, economic policy uncertainty and foreign institutional investment in China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    19. Rubi Ahmad & Oyebola Fatima Etudaiye-Muhtar, 2017. "Dynamic Model of Optimal Capital Structure: Evidence from Nigerian Listed Firms," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 18(3), pages 590-604, June.
    20. Biswajit Ghose & Kailash Chandra Kabra, 2018. "Dynamic Capital Structure Adjustments and Business Group Affiliations: Indian Evidence," Business Perspectives and Research, , vol. 6(1), pages 27-41, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Debt; financial crisis; institutional investors; monitoring;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C1 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General
    • G2 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services
    • G3 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eis:articl:224gloer. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Dan Wheatley (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/bsntuuk.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.