Investment and Capital Structure of Partially Private Regulated Firms

39 Pages Posted: 12 Aug 2011

See all articles by Carlo Cambini

Carlo Cambini

Politecnico di Torino & EUI - Florence School of Regulation; European University Institute - Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (RSCAS)

Yossi Spiegel

Coller School of Management, Tel Aviv University; Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR); ZEW – Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research

Date Written: August 2011

Abstract

We develop a model that examines the capital structure and investment decisions of regulated firms in a setting that incorporates two key institutional features of the public utilities sector in many countries: firms are partially owned by the state and regulators are not necessarily independent. Among other things, we show that firms invest more, issue more debt, and are allowed to charge higher prices when they are more privatized and when the regulator is more independent and more pro-firm.

Keywords: debt, government ownership, investment, regulation, regulatory climate, regulatory independence

JEL Classification: G32, L33, L51

Suggested Citation

Cambini, Carlo and Spiegel, Yossi, Investment and Capital Structure of Partially Private Regulated Firms (August 2011). CEPR Discussion Paper No. DP8508, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1908556

Carlo Cambini (Contact Author)

Politecnico di Torino & EUI - Florence School of Regulation ( email )

Corso Duca degli Abruzzi, 24
Torino, Torino 10129
Italy
+390115647292 (Phone)
+390115647299 (Fax)

European University Institute - Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (RSCAS) ( email )

Villa La Fonte, via delle Fontanelle 18
50016 San Domenico di Fiesole
Florence, Florence 50014
Italy

Yossi Spiegel

Coller School of Management, Tel Aviv University ( email )

Ramat Aviv
Tel Aviv, 69978
Israel

Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) ( email )

Paris
France

ZEW – Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research ( email )

P.O. Box 10 34 43
L 7,1
D-68034 Mannheim, 68034
Germany

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