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The Determinants of Trade Credit: A Study of Portuguese Industrial Companies

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  • Juliana Santos
  • Armando Silva

Abstract

Despite the relevance of trade credit as a source of business financing, the topic is far from being considered exhausted, especially because there is no general and integrated theory explaining the causes and consequences of trade credit. Our research aims to contribute towards the literature that studies the determinants for granting and receiving trade credit. In this sequence, the present study seeks to empirically test some theories about the reasons why companies grant and receive commercial credit. For this purpose we apply a fixed effect model to a panel of 11 040 Portuguese industrial companies, of which 360 are large companies and the majority 10 680 are Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) for the period between 2003 and 2009. We conclude that large companies (with greater access to credit market) serve as financial intermediaries to their clients with less access to finance. In addition, it was observed that the supplier companies use trade credit as a legal means of price discrimination. Finally, financially constrained enterprises, especially in times of financial crisis, use commercial credit as an alternative source of funding, endorsing the hypothesis of substitution between trade credit and bank credit.

Suggested Citation

  • Juliana Santos & Armando Silva, 2014. "The Determinants of Trade Credit: A Study of Portuguese Industrial Companies," International Journal of Financial Research, International Journal of Financial Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 5(4), pages 128-138, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:jfr:ijfr11:v:5:y:2014:i:4:p:128-138
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Falavigna, Greta & Ippoliti, Roberto, 2023. "SMEs’ behavior under financial constraints: An empirical investigation on the legal environment and the substitution effect with tax arrears," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    3. Grzegorz Zimon & Robert Dankiewicz, 2020. "Trade Credit Management Strategies in SMEs and the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Case of Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-16, July.
    4. Calabrese, G.G. & Falavigna, G. & Ippoliti, R., 2024. "Innovation policy and corporate finance: The Italian automotive supply chain and its transition to Industry 4.0," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 336-353.
    5. Duliniec Aleksandra & Świda Natalia, 2021. "Factors influencing the use of trade credit in financing Polish listed companies," Economics and Business Review, Sciendo, vol. 7(1), pages 113-134, March.

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