Asset Allocation in Bankruptcy

119 Pages Posted: 11 Oct 2015 Last revised: 10 Jun 2018

See all articles by Shai Bernstein

Shai Bernstein

Harvard University - Business School (HBS)

Emanuele Colonnelli

University of Chicago - Booth School of Business

Benjamin Charles Iverson

Brigham Young University

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: April 26, 2018

Abstract

This paper investigates the consequences of liquidation and reorganization on the allocation and subsequent utilization of assets in bankruptcy. Using the random assignment of judges to bankruptcy cases as a natural experiment that forces some firms into liquidation, we find that the long-run utilization of assets of liquidated firms is lower relative to assets of reorganized firms. These effects are concentrated in thin markets with few potential users, and in areas with low access to finance. These findings suggest that when search frictions are large, liquidation can lead to inefficient allocation of assets in bankruptcy.

Keywords: capital allocation, bankruptcy, liquidation, fire sales

JEL Classification: G33, K22, E22, E44

Suggested Citation

Bernstein, Shai and Colonnelli, Emanuele and Iverson, Benjamin Charles, Asset Allocation in Bankruptcy (April 26, 2018). Journal of Finance, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2670874 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2670874

Shai Bernstein

Harvard University - Business School (HBS) ( email )

Boston, MA 02163
United States

Emanuele Colonnelli

University of Chicago - Booth School of Business ( email )

HOME PAGE: http://emanuelecolonnelli.com

Benjamin Charles Iverson (Contact Author)

Brigham Young University ( email )

United States

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