We test the biasedness of unsolicited ratings relative to solicited ratings using the ex post firm performance measured by the long-run stock performance of firms following rating announcements and changes. We find that the announcements of new unsolicited ratings are followed by negative...

Previous studies show that the unsolicited ratings of S&P and Fitch are lower than the solicited ratings assigned by these two agencies. The unsolicited ratings of S&P and Fitch are based on publicly available information for a firm. However, no previous study has examined the unsolicited...

We examine capital structures of 2,572 project-financed investments in 124 countries for the period 1997–2006. In contrast to the general prediction of the trade-off theory, we find that project companies use more leverage when project risk is high, but they use less leverage in the presence...

Project finance links financial structure to the operational characteristics of the project to optimize the allocations of various project risks. We develop a model in which concession grants and offtake agreements benefit both public and private sponsors in the presence of political risk. The...

Unsolicited credit ratings are issued solely at the discretion of rating agencies based on public information. This paper analyzes firms' incentives to solicit credit ratings to signal their quality and rating agencies' incentives to issue unsolicited ratings. Conditions for two types of...

Theories suggest that stock-warrant units are used as mechanisms for reducing agency costs or signaling as a form of sequential equity financing. While there is evidence of less severe price reaction to unit offering announcements, unit offering firms underperform not only nonissuing matching...

Using a stochastic volatility option pricing model, we show that the implied volatilities of at-the-money options are not necessarily unbiased and that the fixed interval time-series can produce misleading results. Our results do not support the expectations hypothesis: long-term volatilities...