We develop a dynamic agency model of a public corporation. Managers underinvest because of risk aversion. They smooth rents and payout. They do not exploit interest tax shields fully. The interactions of investment, debt and payout decisions can change drastically depending on managers'...

We show how to calculate the after-tax value of real options, including the value of interest tax shields on debt supported or displaced by the options. An option's “debt capacity” can be calculated from the adjusted present value (APV) and target debt ratio for the underlying asset, the...