This study evaluates the effect of the Capital Purchase Program during the 2008-2009 financial crisis on the cost of equity of 170 publicly listed banks in the United States that received funding. We document robust evidence that the liquidity provided by the government bailout reduced the cost...

We find that banks with more capital experienced more severe stock price declines during the recent financial crisis. We also find that banks with more capital experienced higher betas and stock volatility levels during the financial crisis. These results support the capital signaling...