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A Theory of Debt Market Illiquidity and Leverage Cyclicality

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  • Christopher A. Hennessy
  • Josef Zechner

Abstract

We analyze determinants of secondary debt market liquidity, identifying conditions under which a large investor can profitably buy stakes from small bondholders and offer unilateral debt relief to a distressed firm. We show that endogenous trading by small bondholders may result in multiple equilibria. Some equilibria entail vanishing liquidity and sharp increases in yields absent changing fundamentals. In turn, anticipation of illiquid equilibria induces firms to eschew public debt financing, since such equilibria create higher bankruptcy costs and debt illiquidity discounts. The model thus offers a rational micro-foundation for stylized facts commonly attributed to investor sentiment and CFO market timing. Finally, we show that the vulnerability of debt markets to multiple equilibria is highest during downturns, when small bondholders face severe adverse selection. The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Society for Financial Studies. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com., Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher A. Hennessy & Josef Zechner, 2011. "A Theory of Debt Market Illiquidity and Leverage Cyclicality," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 24(10), pages 3369-3400.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:rfinst:v:24:y:2011:i:10:p:3369-3400
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/rfs/hhr051
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    Cited by:

    1. Halling, Michael & Yu, Jin & Zechner, Josef, 2016. "Leverage dynamics over the business cycle," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(1), pages 21-41.
    2. Uras, R.B., 2014. "Financial Development, Long-Term Finance and the Macroeconomy : The Role of Secondary Markets," Other publications TiSEM e986496f-6d03-4372-aa73-7, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    3. Khalil Ullah Mohammad & Mohsin Raza Khan, 2021. "Bank Capital Structure Dynamics and Covid-19: Evidence from South Asia," iRASD Journal of Economics, International Research Alliance for Sustainable Development (iRASD), vol. 3(3), pages 293-304, December.
    4. András Danis, 2017. "Do Empty Creditors Matter? Evidence from Distressed Exchange Offers," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 63(5), pages 1285-1301, May.
    5. Wolfgang Drobetz & Dirk C. Schilling & Henning Schröder, 2015. "Heterogeneity in the Speed of Capital Structure Adjustment across Countries and over the Business Cycle," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 21(5), pages 936-973, November.

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