Bank switching of US small businesses: new methods and evidence

Song Zhang (), Liang Han (), Konstantinos Kallias () and Antonios Kallias ()
Additional contact information
Song Zhang: University of St Andrews
Liang Han: University of Reading
Konstantinos Kallias: University of Portsmouth
Antonios Kallias: Cardiff University

Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, 2022, vol. 58, issue 4, No 8, 1573-1616

Abstract: Abstract Despite being informationally opaque, small firms often switch from their primary financial institution to transactional lenders, with the relationship banking theory invoking the holdup problem as a culprit explanation. Using US evidence and an estimation strategy that overcomes traditional shortcomings in small business research, our study captures the determinants and, for the first time, the ex post effects of the switching decision. We find that switching is less likely when the primary financial institution is a nearby bank associated with quality services and connected to the firm via other business or social relationships. Small firms become more loyal as they grow in size and pursue nonmortgage credit. Outside the primary relationship, both loan approval and borrowing cost are adversely impacted, however loan maturities are longer. Moreover, the likelihood of pledging collateral remains unaffected, provided that the type of collateral is least sensitive to the borrower’s information environment. Jointly, our findings describe a trade-off inconsistent with the holdup problem, and an opportunity for banks to enhance customer loyalty by improving aspects of the relationship unrelated to the terms of credit.

Keywords: Small business; Relationship banking; IPTW propensity score; Entropy balancing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: G20 G29 G30 L26 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11156-021-01030-y

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