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When do trade credit discounts matter? Evidence from Italian firm-level data

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  • Giuseppe Marotta

Abstract

Italian firms are top users of trade credit in an international comparison. The paper offers some clues to the determinants of this stylized fact exploiting the answers of about 1900 manufacturing firms on a wide range of contractual features, separately for domestic and foreign customers. The main finding of the univariate analysis is that, with the almost totality of transactions made on credit, there is no evidence that this way of financing is more expensive than loans. An econometric investigation shows that discounts offered have the expected effect of reducing payment delays mostly for customers located abroad, where customary credit periods are shorter and creditors' rights protection is more effective. The result is consistent with the poor explanatory power of discounts received in regressions for the trade debt period of domestic firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Giuseppe Marotta, 2005. "When do trade credit discounts matter? Evidence from Italian firm-level data," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(4), pages 403-416.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:v:37:y:2005:i:4:p:403-416
    DOI: 10.1080/0003684042000329063
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill

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