Leverage, Debt Maturity and Firm Investment: An Empirical Analysis

Journal of Business Finance and Accounting, Forthcoming

48 Pages Posted: 4 Mar 2008 Last revised: 20 Aug 2010

See all articles by Viet Anh Dang

Viet Anh Dang

Alliance Manchester Business School

Date Written: April 1, 2010

Abstract

In this paper, we examine the potential interactions of corporate financing and investment decisions in the presence of incentive problems. We develop a system-based approach to investigate the effects of growth opportunities on leverage and debt maturity as well as the effects of these financing decisions on firm investment. Using a panel of UK firms between 1996 and 2003, we find that high-growth firms control underinvestment incentives by reducing leverage but not by shortening debt maturity. There is a positive relation between leverage and debt maturity as predicted by the liquidity risk hypothesis. Leverage has a negative effect on firm investment levels, which is consistent with the overinvestment hypothesis regarding the disciplining role of leverage for firms with limited growth opportunities.

Keywords: Capital Structure, Leverage, Debt Maturity, Investment, Dynamic Panel Data

JEL Classification: G32

Suggested Citation

Dang, Viet Anh, Leverage, Debt Maturity and Firm Investment: An Empirical Analysis (April 1, 2010). Journal of Business Finance and Accounting, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1101350

Viet Anh Dang (Contact Author)

Alliance Manchester Business School ( email )

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Manchester, Greater Manchester M15 6PB
United Kingdom
+44(0)16127 50438 (Phone)

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