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ESG and corporate credit spreads

Author

Listed:
  • Florian Barth
  • Benjamin Hübel
  • Hendrik Scholz

Abstract

Purpose - The authors investigate the implications of environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices of firms for the pricing of their credit default swaps (CDS). In doing so, the authors compare European and US firms and consider nonlinear and indirect effects. This complements the previous literature focusing on linear and direct effects using bond yields and credit ratings of US firms. Design/methodology/approach - For this purpose, the authors apply fixed effects regressions on a comprehensive panel data set of US and European firms. Further, nonlinear and indirect effects are investigated utilizing quantile regressions and a path analysis. Findings - The evidence indicates that higher ESG ratings mitigate credit risks of US and European firms from 2007 to 2019. The risk mitigation effect is U-shaped across ESG quantiles, which is consistent with opposing effects of growing stakeholder influence capacity and diminishing marginal returns on ESG investments. The authors further reveal a mediating indirect volatility channel that substantially amplifies the direct effect of ESG on credit risk. A one-standard-deviation improvement in ESG ratings is estimated to reduce CDS spreads of low, medium and high ESG firms by approximately 4%, 8% and 3%, respectively. Originality/value - This is the first study to examine whether credit markets reflect regional differences between Europe and the US with regard to the ESG-CDS-relationship. In addition, this paper contributes to the existing literature by investigating differences in the response of CDS spreads across ESG quantiles and to study potential indirect channels connecting ESG and CDS spreads using structural credit risk variables.

Suggested Citation

  • Florian Barth & Benjamin Hübel & Hendrik Scholz, 2022. "ESG and corporate credit spreads," Journal of Risk Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 23(2), pages 169-190, February.
  • Handle: RePEc:eme:jrfpps:jrf-03-2021-0045
    DOI: 10.1108/JRF-03-2021-0045
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Okimoto, Tatsuyoshi & Takaoka, Sumiko, 2024. "Credit default swaps and corporate carbon emissions in Japan," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    2. Livieri, Giulia & Radi, Davide & Smaniotto, Elia, 2024. "Pricing transition risk with a jump-diffusion credit risk model: evidences from the CDS market," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 123650, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Suésécenko, Oleksandr & Schwarze, Reimund, 2023. "Green and resilient urban recovery (case of Ukraine)," UFZ Discussion Papers 3/2023, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Division of Social Sciences (ÖKUS).
    4. Giulia Livieri & Davide Radi & Elia Smaniotto, 2023. "Pricing Transition Risk with a Jump-Diffusion Credit Risk Model: Evidences from the CDS market," Papers 2303.12483, arXiv.org.
    5. Simone Letta & Pasquale Mirante, 2023. "Investigating the determinants of corporate bond credit spreads in the euro area," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 36, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    6. Stefano Nobili & Mattia Persico & Rosario Romeo, 2024. "How Important Are Esg Factors For Banks’ Cost Of Debt? An Empirical Investigation," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 52, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    7. Helena Redondo & Elisa Aracil, 2024. "Climate‐related credit risk: Rethinking the credit risk framework," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 15(S1), pages 21-33, March.
    8. Ugolini, Andrea & Reboredo, Juan C. & Ojea-Ferreiro, Javier, 2024. "Is climate transition risk priced into corporate credit risk? Evidence from credit default swaps," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(PB).
    9. Fabrizio Ferriani & Marcello Pericoli, 2024. "ESG risks and corporate viability: insights from default probability term structure analysis," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 892, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    10. Veltri, Stefania & Bruni, Maria Elena & Iazzolino, Gianpaolo & Morea, Donato & Baldissarro, Giovanni, 2023. "Do ESG factors improve utilities corporate efficiency and reduce the risk perceived by credit lending institutions? An empirical analysis," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    11. Li, WeiWei & Padmanabhan, Prasad & Huang, Chia-Hsing, 2024. "ESG and debt structure: Is the nature of this relationship nonlinear?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    12. Meles, Antonio & Salerno, Dario & Sampagnaro, Gabriele & Verdoliva, Vincenzo & Zhang, Jianing, 2023. "The influence of green innovation on default risk: Evidence from Europe," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 692-710.
    13. Rahat, Birjees & Nguyen, Pascal, 2023. "Does ESG performance impact credit portfolios? Evidence from lending to mineral resource firms in emerging markets," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    14. Becchetti, Leonardo & Cucinelli, Doriana & Ielasi, Federica & Rossolini, Monica, 2023. "Corporate social irresponsibility: The relationship between ESG misconduct and the cost of equity," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    15. Yu, Qianlong & Chen, Dandan & Wang, Xiaoping & Peng, Weilai, 2024. "The impact of penalty interest provisions on the issuance costs of perpetual bonds," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PB), pages 935-943.
    16. Caiazza, Stefano & Galloppo, Giuseppe & La Rosa, Giovanni, 2023. "The mitigation role of corporate sustainability: Evidence from the CDS spread," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    17. Chen, Zhonglu & Umar, Muhammad & Su, Chi-Wei & Mirza, Nawazish, 2023. "Renewable energy, credit portfolios and intermediation spread: Evidence from the banking sector in BRICS," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 561-566.
    18. Mirza, Nawazish & Umar, Muhammad & Afzal, Ayesha & Firdousi, Saba Fazal, 2023. "The role of fintech in promoting green finance, and profitability: Evidence from the banking sector in the euro zone," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 33-40.
    19. Ling, Aifan & Li, Jinlong & Zhang, Yugui, 2023. "Can firms with higher ESG ratings bear higher bank systemic tail risk spillover?—Evidence from Chinese A-share market," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Corporate social responsibility (CSR); Environmental; Social; Governance (ESG); Credit default swaps (CDS); Credit risk; G12; G24;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G12 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Asset Pricing; Trading Volume; Bond Interest Rates
    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage

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