The paper investigates the influence of creditor rights reforms on leverage. Based on a partial equilibrium agency cost model, we propose a novel channel running from the owner/manager's private bankruptcy costs to leverage. Such costs mitigate the firms' agency problem toward creditors, thereby...

The paper investigates the influence of creditor rights reforms on leverage. Based on a partial equilibrium agency cost model, we propose a novel channel running from the owner/manager's private bankruptcy costs to leverage. Such costs mitigate the firms' agency problem toward creditors, thereby...

The paper investigates the influence of the speed of liquidation of insolvent firms on leverage. The theoretical model presented formalizes the intuitive view that an increase in liquidation speed is expected to decrease average leverage as highly leveraged firms exit. Analysis of Indian data,...

The paper investigates the influence of the speed of liquidation of insolvent firms on leverage. The theoretical model presented formalizes the intuitive view that an increase in liquidation speed is expected to decrease average leverage as highly leveraged firms exit. Analysis of Indian data,...