IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eme/rafpps/v11y2012i2p206-232.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Interest barrier rules as a response to highly leveraged transactions

Author

Listed:
  • Thorsten Knauer
  • Friedrich Sommer

Abstract

Purpose - The tax advantage of debt is considered an important motivation for highly leveraged transactions. The German government limited the tax deductibility of interest expenses to 30.0 percent of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (the interest barrier rule) in 2008 to reduce the tax incentives for debt financing. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the introduction of the interest barrier rule. Design/methodology/approach - The paper analyzes the changes in the value of the tax shield for German leveraged buyouts as a result of the promulgation of an interest barrier rule. Tax shields are computed to quantify the wealth transfer from taxpayers to corporations. Findings - Prior to the 2008 tax reform, tax shields contributed 8.4 percent to the transaction price, thereby raising the equity value by 33.0 percent on average. With the introduction of the interest barrier rule, the value of tax shields is reduced by 35.1 percent. Affecting more than 75 percent of buyouts, the rule significantly lessens the tax incentive for high levels of debt. The reduction of the corporate tax rate from 31.7 percent to 26.3 percent further lowers the value creation potential. The limited interest deductibility may therefore reduce the number of leveraged buyouts and hence economic growth, unless other non‐debt forms of financing can fulfill the need for capital. Originality/value - As the first continental European study, this research concentrates on the impact of the German interest barrier rule on value creation in highly leveraged transactions. Conclusions can be drawn in a broader European context.

Suggested Citation

  • Thorsten Knauer & Friedrich Sommer, 2012. "Interest barrier rules as a response to highly leveraged transactions," Review of Accounting and Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 11(2), pages 206-232, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:eme:rafpps:v:11:y:2012:i:2:p:206-232
    DOI: 10.1108/14757701211228228
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/14757701211228228/full/html?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers

    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/14757701211228228/full/pdf?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1108/14757701211228228?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shai Bernstein & Josh Lerner & Morten Sorensen & Per Strömberg, 2017. "Private Equity and Industry Performance," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 63(4), pages 1198-1213, April.
    2. Schipper, Katherine & Smith, Abbie, 1991. "Effects of Management Buyouts on Corporate Interest and Depreciation Tax Deductions," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 34(2), pages 295-341, October.
    3. Ulf Axelson & Tim Jenkinson & Per Strömberg & Michael S. Weisbach, 2013. "Borrow Cheap, Buy High? The Determinants of Leverage and Pricing in Buyouts," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 68(6), pages 2223-2267, December.
    4. DeAngelo, Harry & Masulis, Ronald W., 1980. "Optimal capital structure under corporate and personal taxation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 8(1), pages 3-29, March.
    5. repec:bla:jfinan:v:53:y:1998:i:5:p:1443-1493 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. C. Weir & D. Laing & M. Wright, 2005. "Undervaluation, private information, agency costs and the decision to go private," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 15(13), pages 947-961.
    7. Ann-Kristin Achleitner & Christian Andres & Andre Betzer & Charlie Weir, 2011. "Wealth effects of private equity investments on the German stock market," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(3), pages 217-239.
    8. Michael Keen & Alexander Klemm & Victoria Perry, 2010. "Tax and the Crisis," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 31(1), pages 43-79, March.
    9. Palepu, Krishna G., 1990. "Consequences of leveraged buyouts," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 247-262, September.
    10. Kaplan, Steven N. & Stein, Jeremy C., 1990. "How risky is the debt in highly leveraged transactions?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 215-245, September.
    11. Gertner, Robert & Scharfstein, David, 1991. "A Theory of Workouts and the Effects of Reorganization Law," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 46(4), pages 1189-1222, September.
    12. Arman Kosedag & William R. Lane, 2002. "Is it Free Cash Flow, Tax Savings, or Neither?An Empirical Confirmation of Two Leading Going-private Explanations:The Case of ReLBOs," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1&2), pages 257-271.
    13. Miller, Merton H, 1977. "Debt and Taxes," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 32(2), pages 261-275, May.
    14. Renneboog, Luc & Simons, Tomas & Wright, Mike, 2007. "Why do public firms go private in the UK? The impact of private equity investors, incentive realignment and undervaluation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 591-628, September.
    15. Shourun Guo & Edith S. Hotchkiss & Weihong Song, 2011. "Do Buyouts (Still) Create Value?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 66(2), pages 479-517, April.
    16. Erickson, M, 1998. "The effect of taxes on the structure of corporate acquisitions," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(2), pages 279-298.
    17. Marais, Laurentius & Schipper, Katherine & Smith, Abbie, 1989. "Wealth effects of going private for senior securities," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 155-191, June.
    18. Kaplan, Steven, 1989. "The effects of management buyouts on operating performance and value," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 217-254.
    19. repec:bla:jfinan:v:44:y:1989:i:3:p:771-87 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Maloney, Michael T & McCormick, Robert E & Mitchell, Mark L, 1993. "Managerial Decision Making and Capital Structure," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 66(2), pages 189-217, April.
    21. Ippolito, Richard A & James, William H, 1992. "LBOs, Reversions and Implicit Contracts," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 47(1), pages 139-167, March.
    22. Gerald D. Newbould & Robert E. Chatfield & Ronald F. Anderson, 1992. "Leveraged Buyouts and Tax Incentives," Financial Management, Financial Management Association, vol. 21(1), Spring.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Pieter Van der Zwan & Danie Schutte & Waldo Kruggel & Joel Seshabela & Hayley Reynolds & Londiwe Khoza, 2017. "An evaluation of interest deduction limitations to counter base erosion in South Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2017-35, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    2. Irena Stejskalová & Petra Kozáková & Jana Pevná, 2019. "Tax Deductibility of Interest under the ATAD in Investment Decisions," Central European Business Review, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2019(5), pages 36-53.
    3. Pieter Van der Zwan & Danie Schutte & Waldo Kruggel & Joel Seshabela & Hayley Reynolds & Londiwe Khoza, 2017. "An evaluation of interest deduction limitations to counter base erosion in South Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series 035, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).

    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. Renneboog, Luc & Vansteenkiste, Cara, 2017. "Leveraged Buyouts : A Survey of the Literature," Discussion Paper 2017-015, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    2. Andrew Metrick & Ayako Yasuda, 2011. "Venture Capital and Other Private Equity: a Survey," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 17(4), pages 619-654, September.
    3. Van de Gucht, Linda M. & Moore, William T., 1998. "Predicting the duration and reversal probability of leveraged buyouts," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 5(4), pages 299-315, October.
    4. Renneboog, L.D.R. & Simons, T., 2005. "Public-to-Private Transactions : LBOs, MBOs, MBIs and IBOs," Other publications TiSEM 3b76799c-591c-4d22-b126-a, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    5. Luc Renneboog & Peter G. Szilagyi, 2008. "Corporate Restructuring and Bondholder Wealth," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 14(4), pages 792-819, September.
    6. Mittoo, Usha & Ng, Dennis & Yan, Meng, 2020. "Managerial ownership, credit market conditions, undervaluation and offer premiums in management (MBOs) and leveraged buyouts (LBOs)," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    7. Alexander Peter Groh & Oliver Gottschalg, 2008. "The Opportunity Cost of Capital of US Buyouts," NBER Working Papers 14148, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Seung Kwak & Charles Press, 2023. "Pre-LBO Credit Market Conditions and Post-LBO Target Behavior," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2023-077, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    9. Cumming, Douglas & Siegel, Donald S. & Wright, Mike, 2007. "Private equity, leveraged buyouts and governance," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 439-460, September.
    10. Benjamin Hammer & Heiko Hinrichs & Bernhard Schwetzler, 2018. "Does culture affect the performance of private equity buyouts?," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 88(3), pages 393-469, May.
    11. Shackelford, Douglas A. & Shevlin, Terry, 2001. "Empirical tax research in accounting," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(1-3), pages 321-387, September.
    12. Szilagyi, P.G., 2007. "Corporate governance and the agency costs of debt and outside equity," Other publications TiSEM 9520d40a-224f-43a8-9bf9-b, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    13. Cohn, Jonathan B. & Mills, Lillian F. & Towery, Erin M., 2014. "The evolution of capital structure and operating performance after leveraged buyouts: Evidence from U.S. corporate tax returns," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(2), pages 469-494.
    14. Hammer, Benjamin & Knauer, Alexander & Pflücke, Magnus & Schwetzler, Bernhard, 2017. "Inorganic growth strategies and the evolution of the private equity business model," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 31-63.
    15. Steven J. Davis & John C. Haltiwanger & Kyle Handley & Ben Lipsius & Josh Lerner & Javier Miranda, 2021. "The economic effects of private equity buyouts," Jena Economics Research Papers 2021-013, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena.
    16. Martinez, Isabelle & Serve, Stéphanie, 2011. "The delisting decision: The case of buyout offer with squeeze-out (BOSO)," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(4), pages 228-239.
    17. Hines Jr., James R., 2010. "Income misattribution under formula apportionment," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(1), pages 108-120, January.
    18. Mao, Yaping & Renneboog, Luc, 2015. "Do managers manipulate earnings prior to management buyouts?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 43-61.
    19. Gompers, Paul & Kaplan, Steven N. & Mukharlyamov, Vladimir, 2016. "What do private equity firms say they do?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(3), pages 449-476.
    20. Tykvová, Tereza & Borell, Mariela, 2012. "Do private equity owners increase risk of financial distress and bankruptcy?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(1), pages 138-150.

    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:eme:rafpps:v:11:y:2012:i:2:p:206-232. 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: Emerald Support (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    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.