 An integrated model of capital structure to study the differences in the speed of adjustment to target corporate debt maturity among developed countriesEleuterio Vallelado and Paolo Saona International Journal of Banking, Accounting and Finance, 2011, vol. 3, issue 4, 258-293 Abstract: In this paper, we propose an integrated model of capital structure to study the partial adjustment process to the optimal long term debt ratio. In our analysis, we consider the characteristics of the institutional environment as a factor that influences such adjustment. We use a sample of quoted firms from Germany, Denmark, Spain, Italy, USA, Australia, Belgium, UK and France for the period 1996-2008. The key findings are that the firms follow optimal long-term debt ratios. Such optimal ratios are determined by firm characteristics identified in the trade-off, pecking order and market timing theories and by the country institutional environment. We observe that in those countries with lower cost of adjustment, essentially in those where banks are the main source of funds, firms can reach their target debt ratio in half the time needed by those countries with higher adjustment costs. Keywords: capital structure; target debt maturity; institutional environment; panel data; integrated modelling; corporate debt maturity; long term debt ratio; optimal ratios; trade-off; pecking order; market timing; institutional environment; adjustment costs. (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ids:injbaf:v:3:y:2011:i:4:p:258-293 Access Statistics for this article More articles in International Journal of Banking, Accounting and Finance from Inderscience Enterprises Ltd |
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