nep-cfn New Economics Papers
on Corporate Finance
Issue of 2026–03–09
twelve papers chosen by
Zelia Serrasqueiro, Universidade da Beira Interior


  1. Government as venture capitalists in artificial intelligence By Beraja, Martin; Peng, Wenwei; Yang, David Y.; Yuchtman, Noam
  2. Why Do Firms Pay Different Interest Rates on Their Bank Loans? By Mary Amiti; Anil K Kashyap; Anna Kovner; David Weinstein
  3. Why Do Firms Pay Different Interest Rates on Their Bank Loans? By Mary Amiti; Anil K. Kashyap; Anna Kovner; David E. Weinstein
  4. From ESG integration to strategic resilience: Rethinking corporate financial governance By Rémi Raher; Dmytro Antoniuk; Kateryna Antoniuk; Alla Tkachenko; Mykhailo Yanushkevych
  5. Credit Risk Management Practices and Financial Performance of Registered Deposit-Taking Saccos in The Coastal Region, Kenya. By Shikoli, Alaga Celestine; Omido, Karim Hassanali; Chepkulei, Bella
  6. Tax department design, tax planning, and tax risk By Amberger, Harald; Giese, Henning; Koch, Reinald; Ortner, Lukas
  7. Tilting the Balance Towards Equity: Capital Controls and the Structure of External Liabilities By Tobias Krahnke; Wenjie Li
  8. Too Much Finance Redux By Jean-Louis Arcand; Enrico Berkes; Ugo Panizza
  9. Interpreting Performance: Evidence on Signal Weighting in Human Capital Investment By Derek Rury; Ariel Kalil
  10. Do Firms Share their Profits Equally with Women and Men? The Role of Human Capital, Managerial Positions and Unions By Pineda-Hernández, Kevin; Rycx, François; Volral, Mélanie; Waroquier, Alexandre
  11. Optimal investment under capital gains taxes By Alexander Dimitrov; Christoph K\"uhn
  12. The Influence of Behavioral Biases on IPO Intentions: A Study of Moroccan SMEs By Sanae El-Amraoui; El Aaroubi

  1. By: Beraja, Martin; Peng, Wenwei; Yang, David Y.; Yuchtman, Noam
    Abstract: Venture capital plays an important role in funding and shaping innovation outcomes, characterized by investors’ deep knowledge of the technology, industry, and institutions, as well as their long-running relationships with the entrepreneurship and innovation community. China, in its pursuit of global leadership in AI innovation and technology, has set up government venture capital funds so that both national and local governments act as venture capitalists. These government-led venture capital funds combine features of private venture capital with traditional government innovation policies. In this paper, we collect comprehensive data on China’s government and private venture capital funds. We draw three important contrasts between government and private VC funds: (i) government funds are spatially more dispersed than private funds; (ii) government funds invest in firms with weaker ex-ante performance signals but these firms exhibit growth rates exceeding those of firms in which private funds invest; and (iii) private VC funds follow government VC investments, especially when hometown government funds directly invest on firms with weaker ex-ante performance signals. We interpret these patterns in light of VC funds’ traditional role overcoming information frictions and China’s unique institutional environment, which includes important frictions on mobility and information.
    Keywords: venture capital; artificial intelligence; innovation policy
    JEL: G24 G28 O38
    Date: 2025–02–28
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:ehl:lserod:124143
  2. By: Mary Amiti; Anil K Kashyap; Anna Kovner; David Weinstein
    Abstract: We document significant variation in interest rates among similar commercial and industrial loans using confidential supervisory data on the largest US banks. This dispersion does not appear to be due to risk. We rationalize the data using a search cost model and find that search costs are highest for smaller and riskier borrowers and lower for public firms, consistent with predictable differences in the costs of screening and monitoring. We find that search costs are substantial. Over a third of firms behave as if they do not comparison shop; half of all firms appear to only obtain two quotes before picking a lender, while the remaining firms behave as if they search widely.
    JEL: E51 G21 G32
    Date: 2026–02
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34870
  3. By: Mary Amiti; Anil K. Kashyap; Anna Kovner; David E. Weinstein
    Abstract: We document significant variation in interest rates among similar commercial and industrial loans using confidential supervisory data on the largest US banks. This dispersion does not appear to be due to risk. We rationalize the data using a search cost model and find that search costs are highest for smaller and riskier borrowers and lower for public firms, consistent with predictable differences in the costs of screening and monitoring. We find that search costs are substantial. Over a third of firms behave as if they do not comparison shop; half of all firms appear to only obtain two quotes before picking a lender; while the remaining firms behave as if they search widely.
    Keywords: banking; credit supply; macrofinance; search costs
    JEL: E51 G21 G32
    Date: 2026–02–20
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:fip:fedrwp:102827
  4. By: Rémi Raher (ESPI - Ecole Supérieure des Professions Immobilières); Dmytro Antoniuk; Kateryna Antoniuk; Alla Tkachenko; Mykhailo Yanushkevych
    Abstract: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing sustainable practices in corporate financial management, with particular attention to their impact on strategic planning, financial performance, and long-term resilience. The research methodology combines a review of current approaches to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) integration with an analysis of international practices and frameworks. The findings of the study indicate that the adoption of sustainable practices in corporate financial management plays a crucial role in ensuring the long-term stability of companies. However, the implementation process is met with several challenges, including resistance to change, significant financial costs, and a lack of expertise in sustainable development. Integrated strategies that incorporate ESG factors contribute to improved financial planning, reduced risks, and enhanced business appeal to investors. Overall, the study underlines the importance of embedding sustainable practices into corporate financial governance to support efficient resource allocation, increased transparency, and sustainable value creation.
    Keywords: integration of balanced decisions operational productivity strategic planning system performance sustainable development, integration of balanced decisions, operational productivity, strategic planning, system performance, sustainable development
    Date: 2025–12–30
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05491252
  5. By: Shikoli, Alaga Celestine; Omido, Karim Hassanali; Chepkulei, Bella
    Abstract: This study examined the effect of credit risk management practices on the financial performance of registered Deposit-Taking SACCOs in the Coastal Region of Kenya. The objectives of the study were to determine the effects of credit appraisal methods, credit risk identification, credit risk mitigation practices, and credit risk monitoring on SACCO financial performance. The study focused on SACCOs operating in the Coastal Region, including those headquartered elsewhere but with branches in the region. The theoretical framework was guided by Asymmetric Information Theory, Transaction Costs Theory, the 5 C’s Model for Client Assessment, and Credit Liquidity Theory. A non-experimental correlational research design was adopted, targeting 30 participants from 10 SACCOs using a census sampling approach. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires, with validity and reliability ensured through expert review and a pilot study. Data were analyzed using SPSS, and inferential statistics were performed using a multiple linear regression model. The findings revealed that credit risk identification (ρ < 0.001, β= 0.312) and credit risk mitigation practices (ρ < 0.001, β = 0.511) had a statistically significant positive effect on financial performance, while client appraisal methods (ρ = 0.084, β = 0.142) and credit risk monitoring (ρ = 0.221, β = 0.119) were not statistically significant. Based on these results, the study recommends that SACCOs strengthen credit risk identification and mitigation strategies, adopt effective client appraisal methods, and enhance monitoring practices to the extent feasible. The study contributes valuable insights for SACCO managers, policymakers, investors, and researchers seeking to improve financial performance through effective credit risk management.
    Date: 2026–02–17
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:osf:socarx:ankjx_v1
  6. By: Amberger, Harald; Giese, Henning; Koch, Reinald; Ortner, Lukas
    Abstract: Despite the central role of corporate tax departments in managing multinational enterprises' (MNEs) global tax positions, little is known about how their internal design shapes corporate tax behavior. Drawing on hand-collected data on more than 8, 000 tax employees across 309 publicly listed European MNEs, we examine the association between tax department centralization and firm-level tax outcomes. We find no evidence for tax department centralization being associated with the overall level of tax planning. However, firms with more centralized tax departments engage in greater cross-border profit shifting, respond less to local tax incentives, and face higher tax risk. These findings suggest that tax department design shapes the means rather than the intensity of corporate tax planning. Our study extends the emerging literature on tax department design and provides insights for managers responsible for corporate tax strategies as well as for policymakers anticipating organizational responses to international tax reforms
    Keywords: management structure, tax planning, tax risk
    JEL: H25 H26 M12
    Date: 2026
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:zbw:arqudp:337471
  7. By: Tobias Krahnke; Wenjie Li
    Abstract: Capital flow restrictions have long been debated as a tool to manage external financial vulnerabilities, as volatile international capital flows and high external debt can contribute to financial crises. However, empirical evidence on whether capital flow management measures (CFMs) can shift the composition of countries’ external liabilities toward more stable types of funding is limited. Using a novel dataset of granular capital account openness indicators measuring policy intensity, we show that an asymmetric liberalization favoring equity over debt can tilt external capital structures toward equity. This effect is stronger in countries with higher institutional quality, underscoring the role of governance in attracting stable foreign investment.
    Keywords: Capital Controls; Foreign Direct Investment; Portfolio Equity; External Debt; External Liabilities
    Date: 2026–02–27
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2026/037
  8. By: Jean-Louis Arcand (Global Development Network and Geneva Graduate Institute); Enrico Berkes (University of Maryland, Baltimore County); Ugo Panizza (Geneva Graduate Institute and CEPR)
    Abstract: This paper revisits the "too much finance" hypothesis by reassessing the relationship between financial depth and economic growth using an expanded dataset (1960–2019) and a systematic estimation strategy that avoids reliance on any single, potentially arbitrary sample window. We estimate both cross-sectional and panel models for all feasible starting periods and focus on transparent specifications. We find a robust inverted-U relationship between private credit and growth: financial depth is growth-enhancing at low and moderate levels but exhibits diminishing returns and eventually becomes negative at high levels. The turning point generally lies between 70 and 120 percent of GDP, almost always below the 90th percentile of the global distribution of credit to the private sector.
    Keywords: Financial depth; Finance-growth Nexus; Too much finance
    JEL: G10 O16 F36 O40
    Date: 2026–02–23
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:gii:giihei:heidwp04-2026
  9. By: Derek Rury (Oregon State University); Ariel Kalil (University of Chicago)
    Abstract: Parents invest in children’s human capital based on signals of academic performance, but we do not know how they weigh each when having perfect information or when they contain conflicting signals. Using 23, 321 investment decisions from a survey experiment with 2, 079 U.S. parents, we provide the first evidence on how parents trade off grades against standardized test scores. Both signals affect investment: parents adopt compensatory strategies, investing more when either signal indicates poor performance. Parents also put a higher weight on grades than tests, on average. However, we document asymmetric crowd-out: when grades are high but test scores are low, parents do not invest—high grades crowd out the response that low test scores would otherwise trigger. When grades are low but test scores are high, parents invest. This asymmetry implies that grade inflation imposes costs beyond direct signal distortion by preventing remedial investment in struggling students. Hispanic parents exhibit particularly pronounced grade-weighting. Our findings suggest that information interventions providing test scores will have attenuated effects when parents already possess inflated grade information.
    Keywords: Beliefs, Preferences, Investments
    JEL: I21 J16 D83 D91
    Date: 2026
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:bfi:wpaper:2026-20
  10. By: Pineda-Hernández, Kevin (ULB (CEBRIG, DULBEA), UMONS (Soci&ter)); Rycx, François (Free University of Brussels); Volral, Mélanie (UMONS (Soci&ter) and ULB (CEBRIG, DULBEA)); Waroquier, Alexandre (ULB (CEBRIG, DULBEA), UMONS (Soci&ter))
    Abstract: While rent-sharing is known to vary according to worker characteristics, the impact of profits on the gender wage gap warrants closer examination. Most studies adopt a single-gender view, neglecting factors tied to bargaining power. Our paper aims to fill this gap using Belgian matched employer-employee data from 1999 to 2016 and by examining whether the relationship between rent-sharing and gender depends on variables reflecting bargaining power, i.e. education, study field, tenure, occupation and wage agreement. Accounting for many covariates and addressing potential endogeneity issues, we find a wage-profit elasticity of 2.8%, which does not differ statistically between women and men. Our results further indicate that firms share more of their profits with workers who have greater bargaining power, as assessed by our moderators. This result holds overall for both women and men, so that the price effect associated with rent-sharing is generally insignificant in explaining the gender wage gap. Conversely, given that women, regardless of their bargaining power, tend to be employed in less profitable firms than their male counterparts, the quantity effect associated with rent-sharing appears to play a non-negligible role.
    Keywords: rent-sharing, linked employer-employee data, wage decompositions, instrumental variables, gender wage gap, bargaining power
    JEL: C26 J16 J24 J31
    Date: 2026–03
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:iza:izadps:dp18388
  11. By: Alexander Dimitrov; Christoph K\"uhn
    Abstract: We generalize classical results on the existence of optimal portfolios in discrete time frictionless market models to models with capital gains taxes. We consider the realistic but mathematically challenging rule that losses do not trigger negative taxes but can only be offset against potential gains in the future. Central to the analysis is a well-known phenomenon from arbitrage-free markets with proportional transaction costs that does not exist in arbitrage-free frictionless markets: an investment in specific quantities of stocks that is completely riskless but may provide an advantage over holding money in the bank account. As a result of this phenomenon, on an infinite probability space, no-arbitrage does not imply that the set of attainable terminal wealth is closed in probability. We show closedness under the slightly stronger {\em no unbounded non-substitutable investment with bounded risk} condition. As a by-product, we provide a proof that in discrete time frictionless models with short-selling constraints, no-arbitrage implies that the set of attainable terminal wealth is closed in probability -- even if there are redundant stocks.
    Date: 2026–02
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:arx:papers:2602.15177
  12. By: Sanae El-Amraoui (UAE - Abdelmalek Essaadi University [Tétouan] = Université Abdelmalek Essaadi [Tétouan]); El Aaroubi (UAE - Abdelmalek Essaadi University [Tétouan] = Université Abdelmalek Essaadi [Tétouan])
    Abstract: Abstract : The introduction on the stock market constitutes a considerable strategic opportunity for Moroccan SMEs, offering them access to new financing and the opportunity to increase their reputation. However, the use of the stock exchange remains restricted in this sector. This article aims to study the factors influencing the IPO decision of Moroccan SME managers, by adopting a global approach that combines Ajzen's planned behavior model and the contributions of behavioral finance. We used bibliometric analysis and systematic review to examine the patterns and trends of subject area , with the main focus on citations as the primary measurement unit . Leveraging tools such as Scopus and VOSviewer, the analysis involves 28 papers to unveil evolving trends and scholarly contributions spanning from 2020-2025 . This analysis is important to filling a gap in the researched field because no other bibliometric study has been done on the same topic before .It will also serve to provide a scientific foundation for following research .The results showed that the behavioral biases in particular Overconfidence, optimism, Loss aversion, Herding, risk perception significantly influence the decision of SME managers to resort to an IPO. Overconfidence, optimism, Herding, risk perception has a positive impact, motivating executives to regard the IPO as a profitable option. As a result, the combination of behavioral biases and Theory of Planned Behavior makes it possible to better explain the intention of SMEs to go public than economic or financial factors alone . Keywords: Behavioral finance, IPO, Moroccan SMEs, TPB, Behavioral Biases , Overconfidence
    Abstract: Déclaration de divulgation : L'auteur n'a pas connaissance de quelconque financement qui pourrait affecter l'objectivité de cette étude.
    Keywords: Overconfidence, Behavioral Biases, TPB, Moroccan SMEs, IPO, Behavioral finance
    Date: 2025–12–18
    URL: https://d.repec.org/n?u=RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05440332

This nep-cfn issue is ©2026 by Zelia Serrasqueiro. It is provided as is without any express or implied warranty. It may be freely redistributed in whole or in part for any purpose. If distributed in part, please include this notice.
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