Search for Yield in Large International Corporate Bonds: Investor Behavior and Firm Responses

73 Pages Posted: 26 Jun 2019 Last revised: 27 Dec 2023

See all articles by Charles W. Calomiris

Charles W. Calomiris

Columbia University - Columbia Business School; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Mauricio Larrain

Columbia University

Sergio L. Schmukler

World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG)

Tomas Williams

George Washington University; George Washington University - Elliott School of International Affairs (ESIA)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: June 2019

Abstract

Emerging market corporations have significantly increased their borrowing in international markets since 2008. We show that this increase was driven by large-denomination bond issuances, most of them with face value of exactly US$500 million. Large issuances are eligible for inclusion in important international market indexes. These bonds appeal to institutional investors because they are more liquid and facilitate targeting market benchmarks. We find that the rewards of issuing index-eligible bonds rose drastically after 2008. Emerging market firms were able to cut their cost of funds by roughly 100 basis points by issuing bonds with a face value equal to or greater than US$500 million relative to smaller bonds. Firms contemplating whether to take advantage of this cost saving face a tradeoff: they can benefit from the lower yields associated with large, index-eligible bonds, but they pay the potential cost of having to hoard low-yielding cash assets if their investment opportunities are less than US$500 million. Because of the post-2008 “size yield discount,” many companies issued index-eligible bonds, while substantially increasing their cash holdings. The willingness to issue large bonds and hoard cash was greater for firms in countries with high carry trade opportunities that reduced the cost of holding cash. We present evidence suggesting that these post-2008 behaviors reflected a search for yield by institutional investors into higher-risk securities. These patterns are not apparent in the issuance of investment grade bonds by firms in developed economies.

Suggested Citation

Calomiris, Charles W. and Larrain, Mauricio and Schmukler, Sergio and Williams, Tomas, Search for Yield in Large International Corporate Bonds: Investor Behavior and Firm Responses (June 2019). NBER Working Paper No. w25979, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3408913

Charles W. Calomiris (Contact Author)

Columbia University - Columbia Business School ( email )

3022 Broadway
601 Uris, Dept. of Finance & Economics
New York, NY 10027
United States
212-854-8748 (Phone)
212-316-9219 (Fax)

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02138
United States

Mauricio Larrain

Columbia University ( email )

3022 Broadway
New York, NY 10027
United States

Sergio Schmukler

World Bank - Development Research Group (DECRG) ( email )

1818 H. Street, N.W.
MSN MC 3-301
Washington, DC 20433
United States
202-458-4167 (Phone)
202-522-3518 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.worldbank.org/en/about/people/s/sergio-schmukler

Tomas Williams

George Washington University ( email )

Monroe Hall, Suite 340
2115 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20052
United States

HOME PAGE: http://tomas-williams.com/

George Washington University - Elliott School of International Affairs (ESIA) ( email )

2201 G Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20052
United States

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
29
Abstract Views
582
PlumX Metrics