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Corporate debt and investment: a firm analysis for stressed euro area countries

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  • Gebauer, Stefan
  • Setzer, Ralph
  • Westphal, Andreas

Abstract

This paper investigates the link between corporate debt and investment for a group of fi ve peripheral euro area countries. Using firm-level data from 2005-2014, we postulate a non-linear corporate leverage-investment relationship and derive thresholds beyond which leverage has a negative and signi ficant impact on investment. The investment sensitivity of debt increased after 2008 when financial distress intensifi ed and fi rms had a lower capacity to finance investment from internal sources of funds. Our results also suggest that even moderate levels of debt can exert a negative influence on investment for smaller firms or when pro fitability is low. JEL Classification: E22, F34, G31, G32

Suggested Citation

  • Gebauer, Stefan & Setzer, Ralph & Westphal, Andreas, 2017. "Corporate debt and investment: a firm analysis for stressed euro area countries," Working Paper Series 2101, European Central Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecb:ecbwps:20172101
    Note: 1128184
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    3. Ryan Banerjee & Boris Hofmann & Aaron Mehrotra, 2022. "Corporate investment and the exchange rate: The financial channel," International Finance, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 296-312, December.
    4. Soumaya Bechir Hechmi, 2020. "The Determinants of Investment Behavior of Saudi Industrial Firms," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 10(2), pages 203-208.
    5. Antonio De Socio & Enrico Sette, 2018. "Firms’ investments during two crises," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1173, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    6. Masuch, Klaus & Anderton, Robert & Setzer, Ralph & Benalal, Nicholai, 2018. "Structural policies in the euro area," Occasional Paper Series 210, European Central Bank.
    7. Pal, Rozalia & Wruuck, Patricia & Stamate, Amalia & Dumitrescu, Constantin Catalin, 2019. "Investment: What holds Romanian firms back?," EIB Working Papers 2019/08, European Investment Bank (EIB).
    8. Storz, Manuela & Koetter, Michael & Setzer, Ralph & Westphal, Andreas, 2017. "Do we want these two to tango? On zombie firms and stressed banks in Europe," IWH Discussion Papers 13/2017, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    9. Bertoni, Fabio & Colombo, Massimo G. & Quas, Anita, 2018. "The effects of EU-funded guarantee instruments of the performance of small and medium enterprises: Evidence from France," EIF Working Paper Series 2018/52, European Investment Fund (EIF).
    10. Esteban Pérez Caldentey & Nicole Favreau Negront & Luis Méndez Lobos, 2019. "Corporate debt in Latin America and its macroeconomic implications," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(3), pages 335-362, July.
    11. Ryan Niladri Banerjee & Boris Hofmann & Aaron Mehrotra, 2020. "Corporate investment and the exchange rate: The financial channel," BIS Working Papers 839, Bank for International Settlements.
    12. Pravakar Sahoo & Ashwani Bishnoi, 2021. "Drivers of Corporate Investment Slowdown in India: A Firm Level Analysis," IEG Working Papers 441, Institute of Economic Growth.
    13. Bańbura, Marta & Albani, Maria & Ambrocio, Gene & Bursian, Dirk & Buss, Ginters & de Winter, Jasper & Gavura, Miroslav & Giordano, Claire & Júlio, Paulo & Le Roux, Julien & Lozej, Matija & Malthe-Thag, 2018. "Business investment in EU countries," Occasional Paper Series 215, European Central Bank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    corporate debt; debt overhang; investment; leverage; threshold model;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • F34 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Lending and Debt Problems
    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies
    • 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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