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Corporate environmental performance and financing decisions

Author

Listed:
  • Mohammed Benlemlih

    (Métis Lab EM Normandie - EM Normandie - École de Management de Normandie)

  • Li Cai

    (IIT Stuart School of Business, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois)

Abstract

We investigate the financing strategies of environmentally responsible firms to understand how they set target capital structures and make incremental financing decisions. Literature shows that firms with better environmental performance have lower risk and better access to financing. However, it is not obvious how these firms choose to finance their investments. Using an extensive data set of U.S. firms, we find that firms with superior environmental performance have significantly lower debt ratios and use mostly short-term debt for temporary financing needs. In doing so, environmentally responsible firms are able to achieve more tax savings and experience lower costs of financial distress. Our results provide new empirical facts about environmental performance and financing decisions, and they help explain the observed relationship between environmental performance and economic performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohammed Benlemlih & Li Cai, 2020. "Corporate environmental performance and financing decisions," Post-Print hal-03124950, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03124950
    DOI: 10.1111/beer.12257
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Manuela Gomez‐Valencia & Maria Alejandra Gonzalez‐Perez & Ana Maria Gomez‐Trujillo, 2021. "The “Six Ws” of sustainable development risks," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(7), pages 3131-3144, November.
    3. Jieqiong Wang & Xiao Zhang & Mingjie Dai, 2021. "Influences of Economic Policy Uncertainty on Corporate Social Responsibility Information Disclosure," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 23(58), pages 843-843, August.
    4. Die Hu & Lu Qiu & Maoyan She & Yu Wang, 2021. "Sustaining the sustainable development: How do firms turn government green subsidies into financial performance through green innovation?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 2271-2292, July.
    5. Benlemlih, Mohammed & Li, Yiwei & Assaf, Cynthia, 2022. "Executive compensation and environmental performance: Evidence from CEO inside debt," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    6. Xhelil Bekteshi & Sevdie Alshiqi & Arbana Sahiti Ramushi, 2021. "The Impact Of Corporate Social Responsibility And Working Capital Management On Smes Performance During A Pandemic," Baltic Journal of Economic Studies, Publishing house "Baltija Publishing", vol. 7(5).

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