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We find that the majority of variation in leverage ratios is driven by an unobserved time-invariant effect that generates surprisingly stable capital structures: High (low) levered firms tend to remain as such for over two decades. This feature of leverage is largely unexplained by previously identified determinants, is robust to firm exit, and is present prior to the IPO, suggesting that variation in capital structures is primarily determined by factors that remain stable for long periods of time. We then show that these results have important implications for empirical analysis attempting to understand capital structure heterogeneity.

PurposeThe main aim of the paper is to examine the small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) capital structure determinants in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) (Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania).Design/methodology/approachThe authors used panel models to analyze financial data of 15,253 companies operating in the years 2014–2017.FindingsThe authors confirmed the dominant role of firm-specific factors. Industry and country variables explain only 4% of debt variability of the surveyed companies. The direction of influence of the diagnosed firm-specific factors is consistent with the pecking order theory. About one-fourth of SMEs in CEE hold a stock of debt capacity. It negatively affects the share of debt in the capital. The authors did not confirm the influence of the systematic industry business risk.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations of the study are (1) the inclusion of only six CEE countries in the sample; (2) the exclusion of microenterprises from the sample; (3) the capital structure relationships are observed following the applications of static panel; (4) the endogeneity issue has not been addressed in the model.Practical implicationsThis study shows that business-friendly institutional environment is an important factor influencing the indebtedness of companies. It increases the leverage and, consequently, the return on equity, especially in CEE countries.Originality/valueSME analyses in CEE countries are not as frequent as for other regions. Despite the classical determinants of the SMEs' capital structure, the authors have included debt capacity and systematic industry business risk in this study.

The aim of the study is to identify the main determinants of the capital structure of energy industry companies in the European Union. The study was based on a panel of 6122 companies from 25 EU countries, operating between 2011 and 2018. The study used multiple regression analysis. We have obtained strong evidence for a positive relationship between corporate debt and tangibility and size, and a negative relationship for profitability and liquidity. The factors that also affect the share of debt in capital have turned out to be growth (positive relationship) and non-debt tax shield (negative relationship), but the statistical significance of these relationships is ambiguous. We have shown that growth of industry business risk is accompanied by an increase in corporate debt and this is a distinguishing feature of the energy industry. For country-specific capital structure determinants, we have obtained strong evidence for the negative relationship between GDP growth, the level of stakeholder rights protection, the degree of capital markets development, and indebtedness of the companies studied. There has been moderate support for the hypotheses of a positive effect of inflation, taxation, and the degree of financial institutions development. Our study has also shown a negative impact of the volume of energy consumption and the share of renewable sources in its production and a positive impact of market monopolization on the indebtedness of companies from the energy industry in the EU.

In order to identify the factors that have influenced the Romanian companies’ level of compliance required by the Directive 2013/34/EU with respect to publishing, alongside the annual financial statements for 2017, a report containing non-financial information regarding environmental, social, and personal aspects, and business ethics, the following steps were taken in our groundbreaking study: firstly, we analyzed whether there are statistical associations between the level of compliance and the legal forms of organization, the forms of ownership of capital, the branch of activity, the number of employees, the turnover, and the company location; secondly, we evaluated the meaning and intensity of these associations with the help of non-parametric correlation coefficients; thirdly, we identified and presented the economic and social causes of the results obtained; and fourthly, we proposed measures that can contribute to increasing the degree of compliance. What is more, this rigorous scientific work highlights the need to enhance corporate governance and corporate social responsibility in order to create an appropriate balance between sustainability, competitiveness, productivity, and businesses’ financial and non-financial performance, while taking into consideration the benefits brought by the tangible value of businesses (such as, cash flow and earnings) as well as the intangible value of businesses (such as, brand, customer experience, intellectual capital, organizational culture and reputation).

The purpose of this study is, firstly, to examine capital structure optimization and secondly, to provide a framework for determining the optimal capital structure from the aspect of capital cost and corporate value. The results of our work provide an innovative model for arriving at a company's optimal capital structure based on the estimation of the effective cost of capital and the determination of the shares of new equity and long-term debt that will both minimize the overall cost of capital and maximize its value. The model can be applied for quantitative estimates of optimal capital structure. This paper contributes to the literature by applying mathematical modeling and mathematical theory of optimization to solve the problem of capital structure optimization, and by providing a framework for determining optimal capital structure. The scientific contribution of this research is development of a model of optimal capital structure from the aspect of capital cost and corporate value, and new equations for calculating the effective costs of long-term financing sources. This model provides explicit advice on optimal long-term debt and equity level and can be applied to produce a firm-specific recommendation about optimal capital structure that a given company should use.

I exploit the adoption of state-level labor protection laws as an exogenous increase in employee firing costs to examine how the costs associated with discharging workers affect capital structure decisions. I find that firms reduce debt ratios following the adoption of these laws, with this result stronger for firms that experience larger increases in firing costs. I also document that, following the adoption of these laws, a firm's degree of operating leverage rises, earnings variability increases, and employment becomes more rigid. Overall, these results are consistent with higher firing costs crowding out financial leverage via increasing financial distress costs.

The capital structure of multinational corporations (MNCs) is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon that significantly influences their operational efficiency and financial decision-making processes. This article investigates the diverse factors impacting capital structure decisions, emphasizing the interplay of internal and market conditions. Through a comprehensive analysis of existing theories and empirical studies, we identify key determinants such as profitability, tax considerations, business risk, growth opportunities, agency costs and shareholder wealth. In light of these findings, we introduce a novel metric, Signaling Capital Structure Ratio, designed to enhance capital structure analysis by reflecting the actual decisions made by insiders within MNCs. This proposed ratio aims to provide a more accurate assessment of how MNCs navigate their financing strategies in response to various internal and external factors. By focusing on the intentions and actions taken by decision-makers, this approach offers valuable insights into the complexities of capital structure management. Our findings underscore the importance of achieving an optimal balance between debt and equity financing, which can enhance overall performance, reduce capital costs, and improve risk management. By applying this new ratio, MNCs can better adapt their strategies to dynamic market conditions. Our study reconsiders established theories on capital structure, presenting evidence of a significant paradigm shift among U.S. nonfinancial corporations. The findings underscore a transition toward alternative financing strategies, challenging traditional approaches to debt, equity and dividend distribution preferences. The research provides valuable insights into how corporations are leveraging capital allocation to navigate recovery and achieve long-term sustainable growth.

Green and sustainable development is unstoppable. The digital economy has driven great changes in production methods and has become a key strength in reshaping global economic structure and achieving sustainable development. Cities are both the mainstay of economic growth and the main source of various environmental pollution problems. Therefore, studying the relationship between urban digital economy and urban green total factor productivity is of great significance. Based on panel data from 252 cities in China 2011–2019, a two-way fixed effects model was used to examine the impact of urban digital economy on urban green total factor productivity. The empirical results indicate that: (1) Urban digital economy has a significant positive impact on urban green total factor productivity. (2) Urban technological-innovation-level and human-capital-structure of play a mediating role in the impact. (3) This impact has regional heterogeneity and resource-based type heterogeneity. The research conclusions are not only valuable supplements to previous research, but also providing reliable instructions for implementing a flexible digital economy policy.

Empirically, bank equity value is decreasing in the interest rate. Yet (i) many banks do not hedge interest rate risk, and (ii) more than 50% of hedging banks use derivatives to increase exposure. I model a bank’s capital structure and show that these facts are consistent with optimal hedging under financial frictions. Novel predictions on the characteristics of banks taking long or short interest rate derivative positions are tested and supported by the data. Therefore, banks’ derivatives exposures are not necessarily evidence of excessive risk taking. More broadly, the results challenge the view that “hedging” and “speculative” positions can be identified from a positive comovement between derivatives payoffs and equity value. This paper was accepted by Gustavo Manso, finance.

The importance of skilled labor and the inalienability of human capital expose firms to the risk of losing talent at critical times. Using Swedish microdata, we document that firms lose workers with the highest cognitive and noncognitive skills as they approach bankruptcy. In a quasi-experiment, we confirm that financial distress drives these results: following a negative export shock caused by exogenous currency movements, talent abandons the firm, but only if the exporter is highly leveraged. Consistent with talent dependence being associated with higher labor costs of financial distress, firms that rely more on talent have more conservative capital structures.