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Capital Structure, Corporate Taxation and Firm Age

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  • Michael Pfaffermayr
  • Matthias Stöckl
  • Hannes Winner

Abstract

This paper analyzes the relationship between capital structure, corporate taxation and firm age. We adapt a standard model of optimal capital structure choice under corporate taxation, focusing on the financing and investment decisions a young firm is typically faced with. Our model allows to derive testable hypotheses about the relationship between corporate taxation, a firm's age and its debt to asset ratio. To test these hypotheses empirically, we use a cross-section of 405,000 firms from 35 European countries and 126 NACE 3-digit industries. In line with previous research, we find that a firm's debt ratio increases with the corporate tax rate. Further, we observe that older firms exhibit smaller debt ratios than their younger counterparts. Finally, consistent with our theoretical expectation, we find a positive interaction effect between corporate taxation and firm age, indicating that the impact of corporate taxation on debt is increasing over a firm's life-time.
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  • Michael Pfaffermayr & Matthias Stöckl & Hannes Winner, 2013. "Capital Structure, Corporate Taxation and Firm Age," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 34(1), pages 109-135, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:ifs:fistud:v:34:y:2013:i:1:p:109-135
    DOI: j.1475-5890.2013.00179.x
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    3. Lin Tian & Liang Han & Song Zhang, 2015. "Business Life Cycle and Capital Structure: Evidence from Chinese Manufacturing Firms," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 23(2), pages 22-39, March.
    4. Arinzechukwu Okpara Jude & Sylvester Elias Okpanachi, 2022. "Effect of Capital Structure on the Profitability of Non-Financial Institutions in Nigeria," Journal of Business Administration Research, Journal of Business Administration Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 11(1), pages 1-37, April.
    5. Muhammad Mahmud & Gobind M. Herani & Prof. A. W. Rajar, 2009. "Economic Factors Influencing Corporate Capital Structure in Three Asian Countries: Evidence from Japan, Malaysia and Pakistan," Indus Journal of Management & Social Science (IJMSS), Department of Business Administration, vol. 3(1), pages 9-17, June.
    6. Rolando I. Valdez & Eder J. Noda Ramírez, 2018. "Determinantes del aumento o disminución de empresas: Análisis por entidad federativa y estrato de edad. (The Determinants of the Increase and Decrease in the Number of Firms: An Analysis by State and ," Ensayos Revista de Economia, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Facultad de Economia, vol. 0(1), pages 77-98, May.
    7. Stöckl Matthias & Winner Hannes, 2013. "Körperschaftsbesteuerung und Unternehmensverschuldung: Evidenz aus einem Europäischen Firmenpanel / Capital Structure and Corporate Taxation: Empirical Evidence from European Panel Data," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 233(2), pages 188-205, April.
    8. Jinbaek Park & Young Lee, 2019. "Corporate income taxes, corporate debt, and household debt," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 26(3), pages 506-535, June.
    9. Maciej Stradomski & Katarzyna Schmidt, 2020. "Firm specific determinants of capital structure in European advanced developing countries," Bank i Kredyt, Narodowy Bank Polski, vol. 51(3), pages 263-292.
    10. Viktor V. Ivanov & Nadezhda A. Lvova & Natalia V. Pokrovskaia & Svetlana V. Naumenkova, 2018. "Determinants of tax incentives for investment activity of enterprises," Journal of Tax Reform, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Ural Federal University, vol. 4(2), pages 125-141.
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    12. Silke Rünger & Rainer Niemann & Magdalena Haring, 2019. "Investor taxation, firm heterogeneity and capital structure choice," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 26(4), pages 719-757, August.
    13. Magdalena Haring & Rainer Niemann & Silke Rünger, 2016. "Investor Taxation, Firm Heterogeneity and Capital Structure Choice," CESifo Working Paper Series 6098, CESifo.
    14. Antonio De Socio & Valentina Nigro, 2012. "Does corporate taxation affect cross-country firm leverage?," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 889, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    15. Peter Vaz da Fonseca & Andrea Decourt Savelli & Michele Nascimento Juca, 2020. "A Systematic Review of the Influence of Taxation on Corporate Capital Structure," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(2), pages 155-178.
    16. Matthias Stöckl & Hannes Winner, 2012. "Körperschaftsbesteuerung und Unternehmensverschuldung. Evidenz aus einem europäischen Firmenpanel," WIFO Working Papers 422, WIFO.
    17. Haring, Magdalena & Niemann, Rainer & Rünger, Silke, 2016. "Investor taxation, firm heterogeneity and capital structure choice," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 210, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    18. Muhammad Saqib Bashir Butt & Hasniza Mohd Taib, 2019. "Economic Forces and Firm Stock Returns Volatility: Role of Firm Features," Pakistan Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, International Research Alliance for Sustainable Development (iRASD), vol. 7(3), pages :281-302, September.

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    JEL classification:

    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General
    • H32 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Firm
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • C31 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models; Quantile Regressions; Social Interaction Models

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