Do asset sales affect firm credit risk? – Evidence from credit rating assignments

2014 ◽  
Vol 40 (9) ◽  
pp. 903-927 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinod Venkiteshwaran
Keyword(s):  
Credit Risk ◽  
Credit Rating ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Ordered Probit ◽  
Asset Sales ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Credit Quality ◽  
The One ◽  
Opposing Effects ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – Asset sales can have opposing effects on firm credit quality. On the one hand asset sales could signal increased credit risk resulting from distress or on the other hand they could improve internal liquidity and hence credit quality. Therefore the impact potential asset sales can have on credit quality is an empirical question and one that has previously not been examined in the literature. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Using credit ratings as a measure of firm credit quality, in ordered probit regressions, this study finds evidence consistent with the internal liquidity view of the asset sales-credit risk relationship. Findings – Results from ordered probit regressions of credit ratings show that the likelihood of higher credit ratings is increasing in industry-level turnover of real assets Originality/value – Credit-rating agencies often cite the impact of asset sales on firm credit quality as a motivation for their rating assignments. Distress-driven asset sales could reduce firm credit quality whereas other asset sales could result in increased internal firm liquidity and hence improve firm credit quality. This bi-directional expectation leaves the question of how asset sales affect credit quality to be answered empirically and has not been previously tested in the literature.

The impact of market sectors and rating agencies on credit ratings: global evidence

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 389-410
Author(s):  
Kerstin Lopatta ◽  
Magdalena Tchikov ◽  
Finn Marten Körner
Keyword(s):  
Credit Risk ◽  
Credit Rating ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Rating Agencies ◽  
Credit Rating Agency ◽  
Rating Agency ◽  
Investment Grade ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Rating Downgrades

Purpose A credit rating, as a single indicator on one consistent scale, is designed as an objective and comparable measure within a credit rating agency (CRA). While research focuses mainly on the comparability of ratings between agencies, this paper additionally questions empirically how CRAs meet their promise of providing a consistent assessment of credit risk for issuers within and between market segments of the same agency. Design/methodology/approach Exhaustive and robust regression analyses are run to assess the impact of market sectors and rating agencies on credit ratings. The examinations consider the rating level, as well as rating downgrades as a further measure of empirical credit risk. Data stems from a large global sample of Bloomberg ratings from 11 market sectors for the period 2010-2018. Findings The analyses show differing effects of sectors and agencies on issuer ratings and downgrade probabilities. Empirical results on credit ratings and rating downgrades can then be attributed to investment grade and non-investment grade ratings. Originality/value The paper contributes to current finance research and practice by examining the credit rating differences between sectors and agencies and providing assistance to investors and other stakeholders, as well as researchers, how issuers’ sector and rating agency affiliations act as relative metrics.

Goodwill impairment loss and bond credit rating

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Li Sun ◽  
Joseph H. Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Credit Rating ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Goodwill Impairment ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of goodwill impairment losses on bond credit ratings. Design/methodology/approach The authors use regression analysis to examine the relationship between goodwill impairment losses and bond credit ratings. Findings The empirical results show a negative relationship between the amount of goodwill impairment losses and bond credit ratings, suggesting that firms with goodwill impairment losses receive lower credit ratings. The authors perform various additional tests, including subsamples in good or bad market time, changes analysis, first time goodwill impairment firms vs subsequent impairment and the two-stage least squares regression analysis to address potential endogeneity issues. The main results persist. Originality/value This paper links and contributes to two streams of literature: goodwill impairment in accounting literature and bond credit ratings in finance literature. Whether a firm’s goodwill impairment losses affect the firm’s bond credit rating remains an interesting question that has not been examined previously. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that directly examines the relationship between goodwill impairment losses and bond ratings at the firm level.

Credit risk signals in CDS market vs agency ratings

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 194-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Jacobs Jr ◽  
Ahmet K. Karagozoglu ◽  
Dina Naples Layish
Keyword(s):  
Credit Risk ◽  
Credit Rating ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Credit Default Swap ◽  
Risk Assessments ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Rating Agencies ◽  
Market Participants ◽  
Credit Default ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This research aims to model the relationship between the credit risk signals in the credit default swap (CDS) market and agency credit ratings, and determines the factors that help explain the variation in such signals. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive analysis of the differences in the relative credit risk assessments of CDS-based risk signals and agency ratings is provided. It is shown that the divergence between credit risk signals in the CDS market and agency ratings is explained by factors which the rating agencies may consider differently than credit market participants. Findings The results suggest that agency credit ratings of relative riskiness of a reference entity do not always correspond with assessments by CDS spreads, as the price of risk is a function of additional macro and micro factors that can be explained using statistical analysis. Originality/value This research is unique in modeling the relationship between the credit risk assessments of the CDS market and the agency ratings, which to the best of the authors' knowledge has not been analyzed before in terms of their agreement and the level of discrepancy between them. This model can be used by investors in debt instruments that are not explicitly CDSs or which have illiquid CDS contracts, to replicate market-based, point-in-time credit risk signals. Based on both market-based and firm-specific factors in this model, the results can be used to augment through-the-cycle credit risk assessments, analyze issues surrounding the pricing of CDSs and examine the policies of credit rating agencies.

Managing firm risk through supply chain dependence: an SME perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Liu ◽  
Kwangtae Park
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Credit Risk ◽  
Credit Rating ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Firm Risk ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industrial Marketing ◽  
Customer Dependence ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to conduct an empirical investigation into the impact of supply chain dependence (including customer dependence and supplier dependence) on credit risk through the lens of social network theory (SNT) by focusing on how to manage firm risk using supply chain relationships in the context of Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach Using data from public databases, this study selects a unique sample from a Chinese SME board and uses an ordered logistic regression model to investigate the relationship between the dependence on major customers or suppliers and both credit risk and credit rating. It is found that the results are robust to the use of different empirical methods. Findings The main findings of this study are that a firm’s dependence on major customers is positively related to its credit risk but negatively related to its credit rating, while a firm’s dependence on major suppliers is positively related to its credit risk but negatively related to its credit rating. Originality/value To broaden the understanding of industrial marketing and purchasing, this study contributes to research on supply chain relationship management and risk management by focusing on SMEs’ dependence on major customers and suppliers and empirically examining the influence of this dependence on both credit risk and credit rating in an emerging market.

scholarly journals The impact of credit ratings on capital structure

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-245
Author(s):  
Bora Aktan ◽  
Şaban Çelik ◽  
Yomna Abdulla ◽  
Naser Alshakhoori
Keyword(s):  
Capital Structure ◽  
Credit Rating ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Debt Crisis ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Research Result ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the effect of real credit ratings change on capital structure decisions. Design/methodology/approach The study uses three models to examine the impact of credit rating on capital structure decisions within the framework of credit rating-capital structure hypotheses (broad rating, notch rating and investment or speculative grade). These hypotheses are tested by multiple linear regression models. Findings The results demonstrate that firms issue less net debt relative to equity post a change in the broad credit ratings level (e.g. a change from A- to BBB+). The findings also show that firms are less concerned by notch ratings change as long the firms remain the same broad credit rating level. Moreover, the paper indicates that firms issue less net debt relative to equity after an upgrade to investment grade. Research limitations/implications The study covers the periods of 2009 to 2016; therefore, the research result may be affected by the period specific events such as the European debt crisis. Moreover, studying listed non-financial firms only in the Tadawul Stock Exchange has resulted in small sample which may not be adequate enough to reach concrete generalization. Despite the close proximity between the GCC countries, there could be jurisdictional difference due to country specific regulations, policies or financial development. Therefore, it will be interesting to conduct a cross country study on the GCC to see if the conclusions can be generalized to the region. Originality/value The paper contributes to the literature by testing previous researches on new context (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA) which lack sophisticated comparable studies to the one conducted on other regions of the world. The results highlight the importance of credit ratings for the decision makers who are required to make essential decisions in areas such as financing, structuring or operating firms and regulating markets. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of its kind that has been applied on the GCC region.

scholarly journals The determinants of issuers’ long term credit ratings : American S&P500 index

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 78
Author(s):  
ِِAfef Feki Krichene ◽  
Walid Khoufi
Keyword(s):  
Credit Rating ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Probit Model ◽  
Ordered Probit ◽  
Ordered Probit Model ◽  
Financial Policy ◽  
Significant Determinant ◽  
Short Term ◽  
The Impact

<p>In this paper, we examine the impact that various financial and business profile variables have on credit ratings issued for the S&amp;P500 firms by Moody’s. Our ordered probit model indicates that firms’ financial policy, size, liquidity, interest and debt coverage have the most pronounced effect on credit ratings. Our results show that different coefficients are associated to the increments of interest and debt coverage ratios. Business profile variables are not significant. Liquidity variable is also a significant determinant of the issuer long-term credit rating and not just the short term one.</p>

Financing and supervisory effects of credit ratings: evidence from mergers and acquisitions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qian Xu ◽  
Yuhui Wu ◽  
Lingling Zhai
Keyword(s):  
Credit Rating ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Probit Model ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
Financial Behavior ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Emerging Capital Markets ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how credit ratings affect corporate financial behavior from the perspective of merger and acquisition (M&A) decisions. The goal is to test the financing and supervisory effects of credit ratings and study the economic consequences of credit ratings in the context of China. Design/methodology/approach Using a sample of Chinese A-share listed companies over the 2008–2017 period, this paper empirically examines the effect of credit ratings on firms’ M&A decisions. The authors used a probit model for regression when they tested the effect of credit rating on M&A likelihood and a tobit model when they tested the effect of credit rating on M&A intensity. Findings First, rated enterprises tend to make more acquisitions compared with non-rated enterprises, consistent with the hypothesis that credit ratings alleviate financing constraints. Second, high-rated enterprises are more cautious toward M&As due to concerns about preserving their ratings, which indicates that credit ratings also play a supervisory role in the M&A process. Additional tests show that enterprises reduce M&A activity after a rating downgrade to avoid further deterioration in their ratings; this further supports the supervisory role of credit ratings. Originality/value This paper adds incremental evidence to the literature on the impact of credit ratings on corporate financial behavior and extends the literature on the factors influencing M&As. The authors provided empirical evidence from emerging capital markets for the financing and supervisory effects of credit ratings and provided theoretical guidance for promoting the stable, long-term development of China’s credit rating industry.

Do environment, social and governance performance impact credit ratings: a study from India

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 466-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonali Bhattacharya ◽  
Dipasha Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Credit Rating ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Predictor Variable ◽  
Middle Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Market Capitalization ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of environment, social and governance (ESG) disclosure on credit ratings of companies in India. Design/methodology/approach Firms under study are listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) 500 and represent almost 93 per cent of the total market capitalization on BSE. This study considers a sample of 122 firms from a population of 500 to examine the relationship between ESG scores and Credit Rating. The scope of this study is confined to those firms listed on the S&P BSE 500 which have made ESG disclosures and were rated by various credit rating agencies like Crisil, ICRA and CARE. Data were sourced from Bloomberg. Ratings were given in ascending order. In the first model, credit rating was used as predicted variable; ESG score as predictor variable and market capitalization, net debt to equity, and total debt to asset as control considering the ordered nature of dependent variable in the study, ordered logistic regression was applied. It was repeated taking individual scores on environment rating, social rating and governance rating as predictors. The authors further segregated the 122 selected firms into large, medium and low capital firms and assessed separate logistic regression models taking credit rating as the predicted variable and overall ESG score as the predictor. Findings It was found that overall ESG performance and performance of individual components (environment, social and financial variables such as market capitalization, and debt to equity ratio) had significant positive indicators of creditworthiness as measured through credit rating. Governance score had a positive and insignificant relation with credit rating. Market capitalization was observed to have significant direct relationship with credit worthiness. On the other hand, number of independent directors in companies showed significant inverse relationship with creditworthiness. ESG significantly impacted credit rating in the desired direction only for small- and middle-level firms; for large firms which already had higher credit rating, ESG showed no effect. It was also found that credit rating itself determined significantly the extent of overall ESG reporting and disclosure of its components. Originality/value This is unique study that covers the aspects of ESG reports and its impact on credit rating.

Financial and social efficiency analysis of Islamic microfinance institutions

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marwa Fersi ◽  
Mouna Bougelbène
Keyword(s):  
Capital Structure ◽  
Credit Risk ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Social Efficiency ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Islamic Microfinance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThe purpose of this paper was to investigate the impact of credit risk-taking on financial and social efficiency and examine the relationship between credit risk, capital structure and efficiency in the context of Islamic microfinance institutions (MFIs) compared to their conventional counterparts.Design/methodology/approachThe stochastic frontier approach was used to estimate the financial and social efficiency scores, in a first step. In a second step, the impact of risk-taking on efficiency was evaluated. The authors also took into account the moderating role of capital structure in this effect using the fixed and random effects generalized least squares (GLS) with a first-order autoregressive disturbance. The used dataset covers 326 conventional MFIs and 57 Islamic MFIs in six different regions of the world over the period of 2005–2015.FindingsThe overall average efficiency scores are less than 50%, where CMFIs could have produced their outputs using 48% of their actual inputs. IMFIs record the lowest financial (cost) efficiency that is equal to 28% on average. The estimation results also reveal a negative impact of nonperforming loan on financial and social efficiency. Finally, the moderating effect of leverage funding on the relationship between credit risk-taking and financial efficiency was confirmed in CMFIs. However, leverage seems to moderate the effect of risk-taking behavior on social efficiency for IMFIs.Originality/valueThis paper makes an initial attempt to evaluate the effect of risk-taking decision and its implication on efficiency and MFIs' sustainability. Besides, it takes into consideration the role played by the mode of governance through the ownership structure. In addition, this research study sheds light on the importance of the financial support for the development and sustainability of these institutions, which in return, contributes to a sustainable economic development.

What drives credit risk of microfinance institutions? International evidence

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 541-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naima Lassoued
Keyword(s):  
Credit Risk ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
Microfinance Institutions ◽  
Group Lending ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Random Effects Models ◽  
Credit Quality ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Enforcement Cost ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the factors that affect microfinance institutions’ (MFI) credit risk. These factors include MFIs’ characteristics and country-level indicators. Design/methodology/approach This empirical study uses an unbalanced panel data of 638 MFIs from 87 countries observed over a period ranging from 2005 to 2015. Random-effects models are used to estimate the models. Findings The results reveal that group-lending methodology, percent of loan granted to women and diversification activities reduce credit risk; credit quality is enhanced by the relevance of the information published by public or private bureaus and law enforcement cost increases credit risk. Finally, credit risk tends to be limited in a good institutional environment. Practical implications Several implications can be drawn in light of these findings. For MFIs’ managers, using group lending or granting more credit to women and diversifying their activities enhance their credit quality. Furthermore, authorities need to strength debt repayment institutions and reinforce institutional environment to help MFIs to limit their credit risk. Originality/value Previous studies focus on specific MFIs’ practices that enhance repayment rate or on country-level indicators. One of the contributions of this paper is the use of both types of indicators.

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