Discussion: “Who Uses Interest Rate Swaps? a Cross-Sectional Analysis”

In recent years, there have been numerous empirical studies of derivatives use because of new data availability that resulted from requirements for annual report disclosures about derivatives activities of nonfinancial firms ( Financial Accounting Standards Board Statements Nos. 105 and 119). Many of these studies test predictions from models of optimal hedging. These models suggest that the use of derivatives to reduce volatility in cash flows is optimal, even though it is costly, when the firm faces even greater exogenous or endogenous costs associated with cash flow volatility. Each of the models assumes the existence of a capital market imperfection that makes cash flow volatility costly. A common approach to testing these models is to examine the cross-sectional variation in the characteristics of firms that use derivatives (or use more derivatives). The explanatory variables represent firm characteristics that the author predicts are related to the proposed costs of volatility that the firm can reduce by hedging.