Search Results
Journal Article
Assessing the condition of Japanese banks: how informative are accounting earnings?
This article examines the accounting and stock market performance of banks from 1991 to 1997. Overall, the results indicate that the accounting, disclosure, and regulatory practices of Japanese banks have drive a wedge between their accounting and stock market returns in recent years and, furthermore, that regulatory forbearance might have become a more important source of value to shareholders than the value of assets in place.
Working Paper
Federal Reserve policies and financial market conditions during the crisis
During the recent financial crisis, the Federal Reserve implemented a series of extraordinary and unconventional policies to alleviate the impact of the crisis on financial markets and the economy. In this paper, we examine the effects of these policies on broad financial market conditions, explicitly taking into account that policy was endogenously determined in response to prevailing financial market and economic conditions. We find that the Fed was more likely to initiate or expand new programs when financial market conditions were tighter than usual and economic conditions deteriorating. ...
Journal Article
How are small firms financed? Evidence from small business investment companies
This article examines the investment decisions of small business investment companies (SBICs). The results indicate that potential costs of contracting among SBICs, small firms, and others may have significant effects on how small firms are funded. For instance, projects generating tangible assets and firms operating in industries with few growth opportunities are more likely to be financed with debt than nondebt.
Working Paper
The security issue decision: evidence from small business investment companies
Using a unique transactions-level dataset, this paper examines the investment choices of small business investment companies (SBICs), which are private venture capital firms licensed and regulated by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SBICs make debt and equity investments in small businesses, and we seek to explain their security choices. We focus on factors suggested by asymmetric information and contracting theories of security choice. Overall, our results are consistent with the predictions of contracting theory, although certain aspects of our results also support asymmetric ...
Newsletter
Why aren't banks lending more? the role of commercial real estate
Since August 2007, the U.S. and global financial markets have endured the worst crisis since the Great Depression, accompanied by a deep economic recession. At the height of the crisis, whole segments of financial markets froze and market participants hesitated to engage in transactions with even the most creditworthy counterparties.
Journal Article
Performance and access to government guarantees: the case of small business investment companies
This article analyzes the performance of small business investment companies (SBICs) that are chartered and regulated by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Our principal finding is that poor performance over the 1986-91 period is associated with high usage of funds from the SBA.
Working Paper
A Trojan horse or the golden fleece? small business investment companies and government guarantees
Profitability is a central concern when governments provide guarantees to increase the flow of funds to disadvantaged groups. We examine the profitability of small business investment companies (SBICs) that are chartered and regulated by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to finance the activities of small firms. We document, over the 1986-91 period, dismal performance by SBICs. Because SBICs have access to government-guaranteed funds, financial distress among SBICs can expose the SBA, and hence taxpayers, to losses. Using two alternative sample selection models, we examine the ...