scholarly journals The relationship between female workforce participation and corporate bond credit ratings

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 33-43
Author(s):  
Yujin Kim ◽  
Jiyeun Hong
Keyword(s):  
Credit Rating ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Corporate Bond ◽  
Quota System ◽  
Workforce Participation ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
The Relationship

The topic of gender diversity in the workforce has received an increasing amount of attention and even resulted in developing a new term, sheconomy, which describes an economy in which women are the main economic players. This study examines the relationship between female workforce participation and corporate bond credit ratings. Using an ordered logit regression model and a sample of listed companies on the Korea Exchange, the results show that the higher the number and proportion of women in the workforce (based on female directors and female employees), the higher the credit rating. However, for chaebol companies, where female directors’ positive role is limited by chaebol owners, a negative (–) moderating effect is observed in the relationship between female workforce participation and credit ratings. Besides, female directors who are members of the owner’s family and were appointed as a means of succession negatively affect a company’s value. The findings contribute to accounting and finance research on the relationship between governance and credit ratings in terms of gender diversity. Policy implications regarding the recent system changes in Korea, including introducing a gender quota system, can be derived from the study.

scholarly journals ESG Scores and the Credit Market

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 3456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ga-Young Jang ◽  
Hyoung-Goo Kang ◽  
Ju-Yeong Lee ◽  
Kyounghun Bae
Keyword(s):  
Small Firms ◽  
Credit Rating ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Debt Financing ◽  
Corporate Bond ◽  
Cost Of Debt ◽  
Rating Agencies ◽  
Bond Returns ◽  
The Cost ◽  
The Relationship

This study analyzes the relationship between Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) scores and bond returns using the corporate bond data in Korea during the period of 2010 to 2015. We find that ESG scores include valuable information about the downside risk of firms. This effect is particularly salient for the firms with high information asymmetry such as small firms. Interestingly, of the three ESG criteria, only environmental scores show a significant impact on bond returns when interacted with the firm size, suggesting that high environmental scores lower the cost of debt financing for small firms. Finally, ESG is complementary to credit ratings in assessing credit quality as credit ratings cannot explain away ESG effects in predicting future bond returns. This result suggests that credit rating agencies should either integrate ESG scores into their current rating process or produce separate ESG scores which bond investors integrate with the existing credit ratings by themselves.

scholarly journals Does the Financial Status of Company Affect the Bond Credit Rating? ——Empirical Evidence from China's Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuyan Cai
Keyword(s):  
Credit Rating ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Corporate Bonds ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Corporate Bond ◽  
Stock Exchanges ◽  
Analysis Method ◽  
Financial Status ◽  
Financial Variables ◽  
The Impact

This article takes the companies that publicly issued corporate bonds on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges from 2006 to 2018 as the research objects selecting six aspects that comprehensively reflect the 17 financial variables in 6 aspects: profitability, operating ability, bond repayment ability, development ability, cash flow and market value of the company. Principal component analysis method and factor analysis method are used to extract the principal factors of these financial indicator variables. That is how an ordered multi-classification Logistic regression model is constructed to test the impact of the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges’ financial status on the corporate bond credit rating. It turns out that the financial status of the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges have an important impact on the credit rating of corporate bonds. The financial status has a greater impact on corporate bonds with credit ratings of A- and AA-, while it has a smaller impact on corporate bonds with credit ratings above AA. The results of this article can help individual and institutional investors prevent risks from investing.

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.

scholarly journals Remuneration of independent directors: Determinants and policy implications

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 278-291
Author(s):  
Massimo Belcredi ◽  
Stefano Bozzi
Keyword(s):  
Policy Implications ◽  
Independent Directors ◽  
Gender Quotas ◽  
Executive Directors ◽  
Firm Characteristics ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Pay Gap ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
The Relationship

Taking advantage of a unique database on Italian Corporate Governance, we study the determinants of remuneration paid to individual non-executive directors (NEDs) and, in particular, to independent directors (INEDs). Our results on a database covering around 16,000 positions/year for non-executive directors in Italian listed firms (over a 9-year period) show that: 1) Remuneration is strongly affected by firm characteristics, in particular by firm size. Independent directors are paid less than gray directors; the gap between the two categories is, however, gradually closing, due to lower additional compensation being paid to gray directors in subsidiaries. Contrary to what happens in other countries, NED remuneration remained quite stable: a small increase is observable only for independent directors; 2) NED remuneration is influenced by the functions performed by individual directors within the board. On the contrary, individual directors’ characteristics have little or no impact. We find evidence of a gender pay gap among independent directors in less recent years; however, this gap has gradually disappeared in conjunction with the increasing number and role of female directors, following the adoption of gender quotas; 3) The relationship between independent directors’ pay and some variables of interest has changed over time: this is true not only for gender but also for Tobin’s Q (a proxy for the benefits from monitoring) and for the number of positions held in other companies. The changes we observe are apparently consistent with the market for directors’ pay in Italy becoming more mature after the introduction of Say-on-Pay and other regulation favouring investor activism. This is also consistent with a positive role played by both institutional investors and their representatives sitting on the board of listed companies after the introduction of said legislation.

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.

scholarly journals Social Sustainability on Corporate Boards: The Effects of Female Family Members on R&D

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1982
Author(s):  
Ana Beatriz Hernández-Lara ◽  
Juan Pablo Gonzales-Bustos ◽  
Amado Alarcón-Alarcón
Keyword(s):  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Panel Regression ◽  
Corporate Boards ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
Open Debate ◽  
Board Gender Diversity

There is growing institutional and social pressure for greater balance, parity, and equality at the highest levels of corporations. This is coupled with an increasing interest in analysing the effects of gender diversity on corporate boards. However, companies may only reap the benefits of gender diversity by achieving better qualified and more independent boards. This study aims to contribute to the open debate on the effects of board gender diversity on R&D, by taking into account the independence of female directors. Panel regression analyses were performed with data for 67 Spanish-listed companies during the 2003–2019 period. Our results confirm the positive effects of gender diversity on R&D. However, this positive influence is lower if female directors have family links with male members on the board. These findings have policy implications, regarding the need to increase gender equality in corporate boards for social and sustainability purposes, while the benefits are conditioned by the independence of female directors. The value of this research rests on the study of the effects, beyond the mere analysis of financial performance of the gender diversity of boards.

Credit ratings and audit opinion: evidence from Tunisia

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanen Moalla ◽  
Rahma Baili
Keyword(s):  
Credit Rating ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Audit Opinion ◽  
Going Concern Opinion ◽  
To Receive ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine whether credit ratings issued by Fitch predict auditor’s opinion for the Tunisian financial companies. It studies the association between Fitch’s credit rating and the audit opinion. Design/methodology/approach The whole population was analyzed. It is composed of 35 banks, leasing companies and factoring companies in Tunisia. The hand-collected data over 11 years (2005–2015) were used and a multiple-ordered logistic regression was performed. Findings The findings show that firms with a high short-term grade, a high long-term grade or a positive outlook are more likely to receive an unqualified audit opinion. In addition, companies with a stable outlook are more likely to receive an explanatory paragraph, a qualification or a going-concern opinion. Originality/value Studies examining the relationship between credit ratings and audit opinion are rare. This piece of research adds to knowledge about the relationship between different components of agency ratings and the auditor’s opinion in a developing country. Previous studies have investigated the case of developed countries and have been interested in the only impact of the long-term credit rating. This study analyzes three components of credit rating, namely long-term credit rating, short-term credit rating and rating outlook. In addition, it sheds light on the effect of various rating grades issued by rating agencies on the audit opinion. It gives a broader view of the relationship between credit ratings and audit opinion.

Gender diversity in audit committees and audit fees: evidence from China

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Radwan Hussien Alkebsee ◽  
Gao-Liang Tian ◽  
Muhammad Usman ◽  
Muhammad Abubakkar Siddique ◽  
Adeeb A. Alhebry
Keyword(s):  
Audit Committee ◽  
Gender Diversity ◽  
Audit Fees ◽  
Situational Factors ◽  
Audit Committees ◽  
Least Squares Regression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
External Auditors ◽  
Female Directors ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This study aims to investigate whether the presence of female directors on audit committees affects audit fees in Chinese listed companies. This study also investigates whether the audit committee’s gender diversity moderates the relationship between the firm’s inherent situational factors (e.g. audit complexity and firm risk) and audit fees. Finally, this study investigates whether the effect of the audit committee’s gender diversity on audit fees varies with within-country institutional contingencies (e.g. state-owned enterprises [SOEs] vs non-SOEs and firms that are located in more developed regions vs firms that are located in less developed regions) Design/methodology/approach This study used the data of all A-share listed companies on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges for the period from 2009 to 2015. The authors use ordinary least squares regression as a baseline methodology, along with firm fixed effect, Deference in Deference method, two-stage least squares regression, two-stage Heckman model and generalized method of moments models to control for the possible issue of endogeneity. Findings The study’s findings suggest that the presence of female directors on the audit committee improves internal monitoring and communication, which reduce the perceived audit risk and the need for assurances from external auditors. The results also suggest that female directors demand high-quality audits and further assurance from external auditors when the firm is more complex and riskier. In addition, the results suggest that within-country, institutional factors play significant role in shaping the governance role of gender-diverse audit committee. Practical implications The study contributes to the agency theory by providing evidence that the interaction between agency theory and corporate governance “board composition” generates an effective monitoring mechanism and contributing to the institutional theory by finding that role of female directors on audit committee varies from context to another. In addition, this study contributes to literature review of gender diversity in the boardroom by finding the economic benefit of having female directors on audit committee. Finally, this study has implications for policy-makers in promoting regulations to legalize women presence on the board, to external auditors in assessing control risk during planning the audit, to those who responsible for appointing audit committee members. Originality/value The authors extend earlier studies by providing novel evidence on the relationship between gender-diverse audit committees and audit fees in terms of both the supply- and demand-side perspectives; that female directors moderate the relationship between firm inherent situational factors (e.g. audit complexity and firm risk) and audit fees; and that the effect of audit committees’ gender diversity on audit fees varies with sub-national institutional contingencies.

scholarly journals The Effect of Reputation Shocks to Rating Agencies on Corporate Disclosures

2018 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 299-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mani Sethuraman
Keyword(s):  
Credit Risk ◽  
Voluntary Disclosure ◽  
Credit Rating ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Earnings Forecasts ◽  
Corporate Bond ◽  
Management Earnings Forecasts ◽  
Rating Agencies ◽  
Theoretical Predictions ◽  
Bond Issuers

ABSTRACT This paper explores the effect of a credit rating agency's (CRA) reputation on the voluntary disclosures of corporate bond issuers. Academics, practitioners, and regulators disagree on the informational role played by major CRAs and the usefulness of credit ratings in influencing investors' perception of the credit risk of bond issuers. Using management earnings forecasts as a measure of voluntary disclosure, I find that investors demand more (less) disclosure from corporate bond issuers when the ratings become less (more) credible. In addition, using content analytics, I find that bond issuers disclose more qualitative information during periods of low CRA reputation to aid investors in assessing credit risk. My findings are consistent with credit ratings providing incremental information to investors and reducing adverse selection in lending markets. Further, consistent with theoretical predictions, my findings suggest that managers rely on voluntary disclosure as a credible mechanism to reduce information asymmetry in bond markets.

scholarly journals Relationship Between Audit Opinion And Credit Rating: Evidence From Korea

2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myungki Cha ◽  
Kookjae Hwang ◽  
Youngjun Yeo
Keyword(s):  
Credit Rating ◽  
Empirical Test ◽  
Credit Ratings ◽  
Audit Opinion ◽  
Credit Score ◽  
Audit System ◽  
High Profile ◽  
Predictive Function ◽  
Audit Opinions ◽  
The Relationship

In this study, we investigate the relationship between credit ratings and audit opinions of financially distressed companies impending bankruptcy. Using Korean publicly-held firms for the years 2007 through 2014, we analyze 97 bankrupt companies with credit rating available before they file bankruptcy. Following prior research (Geiger et al., 2005), we find that the propensity to issue a going concern audit opinion is associated with the credit score issued by NICE immediately prior to the audit opinion date. We also compare credit ratings to audit opinions to investigate which of the two is more conservative and provides the earlier signal of bankruptcy. Through empirical test, we can conclude that audit system has more successfully predictive function in signaling preceding bankruptcy than CRAs' system with overly optimism. We argue that after a string of high-profile corporate failures such as Enron and Arthur Anderson’s bankruptcies, legislators portrayed auditors negatively and ultimately led to the enactment and more forced liabilities and thus auditors become more conservative. To remedy CRAs' failure by providing overly optimism, we suggest that like as auditors, CRAs' regulations should be more strengthened on their liability about issuing credit ratings.

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