Are all covenants equally effective at reducing the bondholder-shareholder conflict? Examining the most frequently used bond covenants, we document that four out of 24 restrictions are associated with significantly higher bankruptcy risk. The use of these Default Indicating covenants can be...

We model how a cash flow risk exposure is associated with higher bond yield spreads even if the factor is not priced in bond returns. Our model predicts that the absolute values of cash flow exposures are priced in yields. Additionally, we show how yields can provide a test for whether a factor...

We study how the heterogeneity between the CEO and independent board directors as a group stemming from cultural diversity affects debt pricing in bad times. Using a novel approach to identify directors’ cultural backgrounds based on their ancestral origins, we find that greater...