Bank Interventions and Firm Innovation: Evidence from Debt Covenant Violations

49 Pages Posted: 22 Sep 2013 Last revised: 30 Jan 2018

See all articles by Yuqi Gu

Yuqi Gu

Willamette University Atkinson Graduate School of Management

Connie X. Mao

Temple University - Fox School of Business and Management

Xuan Tian

Tsinghua University - PBC School of Finance

Date Written: November 1, 2017

Abstract

We examine the effect of bank interventions on corporate innovation and firm value via the lens of debt covenant violations. Bank interventions have a significantly negative effect on innovation quantity, but no significant effect on quality. The reduction in innovation quantity is concentrated in innovation activities that are unrelated to the violating firm’s core business, leading to a more focused scope of innovation investment and ultimately an increase in firm value. Human capital redeployment appears a plausible underlying mechanism through which bank interventions refocus innovation scope and enhance firm value. Our paper sheds new light on the real effect of bank financing.

Keywords: Bank interventions, innovation, covenant violations, human capital redeployment, firm value

JEL Classification: G21, G32, G34, O31

Suggested Citation

Gu, Yuqi and Mao, Connie X. and Tian, Xuan, Bank Interventions and Firm Innovation: Evidence from Debt Covenant Violations (November 1, 2017). Journal of Law and Economics, Forthcoming, Kelley School of Business Research Paper No. 2014-28, Fox School of Business Research Paper No. 15-041, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2329007 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2329007

Yuqi Gu (Contact Author)

Willamette University Atkinson Graduate School of Management ( email )

Salem, OR 97301
United States

Connie X. Mao

Temple University - Fox School of Business and Management ( email )

416 Alter Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19122
United States
215-204-4895 (Phone)
215-204-1697 (Fax)

Xuan Tian

Tsinghua University - PBC School of Finance ( email )

No. 43, Chengfu Road
Haidian District
Beijing 100083
China
+86-10-62794103 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://xuantian.info/

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