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Measuring firms’ financial constraints: Evidence for Portugal through different approaches

Author

Listed:
  • Filipe Silva

    (Faculdade de Economia, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal)

  • Carlos Carreira

    (GEMF/Faculdade de Economia, Universidade de Coimbra, Portugal)

Abstract

Today's shortage of financial resources calls for the attention of researchers to the problem of financial constraints faced by firms. In this paper we analyse firms' financial constraints by estimating both investment-cash flow sensitivities and cash-cash flow sensitivities upon a large unbalanced panel of Portuguese firms in order to obtain robust findings. Additionally, we classify firms according to characteristics that are generally believed to indicate the presence of constraints (size, age and dividend payment). Our results clearly show that Portuguese firms are, in general, financially constrained. Furthermore, we verify that such constraints are more severe for certain groups of firms, in particular those firms that are smaller and do not pay dividends. However, we do not find evidence that age as a good proxy for financial constraints. Finally, we cast some doubts on the direct implementation of the SA index as a measure of financial constraints.

Suggested Citation

  • Filipe Silva & Carlos Carreira, 2010. "Measuring firms’ financial constraints: Evidence for Portugal through different approaches," GEMF Working Papers 2010-15, GEMF, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra.
    • Handle: RePEc:gmf:wpaper:2010-15
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Filipe Silva & Carlos Carreira, 2011. "Financial Constraints and Exports: An Analysis of Portuguese Firms During the European Monetary Integration," Notas Económicas, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, issue 34, pages 35-56, December.
    2. Filipe SIlva & Carlos Carreira, 2011. "Financial constraints and exports: An analysis of Portuguese firms during the European monetary integration," GEMF Working Papers 2011-13, GEMF, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra.
    3. Giovanni Cerulli & Bianca Potì, 2014. "The Impact of Public Support Intensity on Business R&D: Evidence from a Dose-Response Approach," ERSA conference papers ersa14p625, European Regional Science Association.
    4. Filipe Silva & Carlos Carreira, 2012. "Measuring Firms’ Financial Constraints: A Rough Guide," Notas Económicas, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, issue 36, pages 23-46, December.
    5. Giovanni Cerulli & Bianca Poti', 2016. "Explaining firm sensitivity to R&D subsidies within a dose-response model: The role of financial constraints, real cost of investment, and strategic value of R&D," DEM Working Papers 2016/09, Department of Economics and Management.
    6. Saddiqa & Ayaz ul Haq, 2017. "Firm Characteristics and Cash-Cash Flow Sensitivity of the Manufacturing Sector of Pakistan," Business & Economic Review, Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar, Pakistan, vol. 9(3), pages 71-103, September.
    7. Pranvera Dalloshi, 2018. "The Nexus between Bank Sources and Firms Capital Expenditures in SEE Countries," Acta Universitatis Danubius. OEconomica, Danubius University of Galati, issue 14(5), pages 255-267, OCTOBER.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Financial constraints; Firm-level studies; Portugal.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D92 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Intertemporal Firm Choice, Investment, Capacity, and Financing
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • L00 - Industrial Organization - - General - - - General
    • L2 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior

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