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Market Timing and Capital Structure

Author

Listed:
  • Jeffrey A. Wurgler

    (Department of Finance)

  • Malcolm P. Baker

    (ard University, Harvard Business School, Finance Unit)

Abstract

It is well known that firms tend to raise equity when their market values are high relative to book and past market values. We document that the resulting effects on capital structure are very persistent. As a consequence, current capital structure is strongly related to past market valuations. The results are difficult to explain within traditional theories of capital structure and suggest that capital structure is the cumulative outcome of past attempts to time the equity market.

Suggested Citation

  • Jeffrey A. Wurgler & Malcolm P. Baker, 2001. "Market Timing and Capital Structure," Yale School of Management Working Papers ysm181, Yale School of Management.
    • Handle: RePEc:ysm:somwrk:ysm181
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    Cited by:

    1. Robin Greenwood & Samuel G. Hanson, 2013. "Issuer Quality and Corporate Bond Returns," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 26(6), pages 1483-1525.
    2. Gennaioli, Nicola & Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert, 2012. "Neglected risks, financial innovation, and financial fragility," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(3), pages 452-468.
    3. Ulf Axelson & Tim Jenkinson & Per Strömberg & Michael S. Weisbach, 2013. "Borrow Cheap, Buy High? The Determinants of Leverage and Pricing in Buyouts," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 68(6), pages 2223-2267, December.
    4. Norman Schurhoff, 2004. "Capital gains taxes, irreversible investment, and capital structure," 2004 Meeting Papers 592b, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    5. Jianjun Miao, 2005. "Optimal Capital Structure and Industry Dynamics," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 60(6), pages 2621-2659, December.
    6. Vasiliou, Dimitrios & Daskalakis, Nikolaos, 2009. "Institutional characteristics and capital structure: A cross-national comparison," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 19(3), pages 286-306.
    7. Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert W., 2010. "Unstable banking," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(3), pages 306-318, September.
    8. Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert W., 2003. "Stock market driven acquisitions," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(3), pages 295-311, December.
    9. Gaud, Philippe & Hoesli, Martin & Bender, Andre, 2007. "Debt-equity choice in Europe," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 201-222.
    10. Gene D'Avolio & Efi Gildor & Andrei Shleifer, 2001. "Technology, information production, and market efficiency," Proceedings - Economic Policy Symposium - Jackson Hole, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, pages 125-160.
    11. April M. Knill, 2013. "Does Foreign Portfolio Investment Reach Small Listed Firms?," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 19(2), pages 251-303, March.
    12. Stein, Jeremy C., 2003. "Agency, information and corporate investment," Handbook of the Economics of Finance, in: G.M. Constantinides & M. Harris & R. M. Stulz (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Finance, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 2, pages 111-165, Elsevier.
    13. Duc Khuong Nguyen & Adel Boubaker, 2009. "Does financing behavior of Tunisian firms follow the predictions of the market timing theory of capital structure?," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 29(1), pages 169-181.
    14. Oehler, Andreas & Rummer, Marco & Smith, Peter N., 2004. "IPO Pricing and the Relative Importance of Investor Sentiment: Evidence from Germany," Discussion Papers 26, University of Bamberg, Chair of Finance.
    15. Ales Berk, 2006. "Determinants of Leverage in Slovenian Blue-Chip Firms and Stock Performance Following Substantial Debt Increases," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(4), pages 479-494.
    16. Gabe De Bondt, 2005. "Determinants of corporate debt securities in the Euro area," The European Journal of Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(6), pages 493-509.
    17. Daniel, Kent & Hirshleifer, David & Teoh, Siew Hong, 2002. "Investor psychology in capital markets: evidence and policy implications," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(1), pages 139-209, January.
    18. Knill, April M., 2005. "Taking the bad with the good : volatility of foreign portfolio investment and financial constraints of small firms," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3797, The World Bank.
    19. Wolfgang Drobetz & Gabrielle Wanzenried, 2006. "What determines the speed of adjustment to the target capital structure?," Applied Financial Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(13), pages 941-958.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Capital Structure; Market Timing;

    JEL classification:

    • 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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