We study the relation between operating flexibility and the borrowing costs incurred by a firm financing inventory investments with debt. We find that flexibility in replenishing or liquidating inventory, by providing risk shifting incentives, could lead to borrowing costs that erase more than a...

Firms often finance their inventory through debt and subsequently sell it to generate profits and service the debt. Pricing of products is consequently driven by both inventory and debt servicing considerations. We show that limited liability under debt induces sellers to charge higher prices...