We examine changes in bank loan contracts after borrowers experience a nearby local newspaper closure. Compared to a sample of control firms, we find that the closure of a local newspaper leads to higher interest spreads for borrowers. The effect is stronger when the local newspaper is more...

This study examines the effect of bank loan monitoring on public bond contract design. We find that bond yield spreads are lower and that bond issuance amounts are larger when a borrower has recently obtained a private loan, consistent with bond issuers benefiting from the screening and ongoing...

This study examines the relevance of modified audit opinions (MAO) in private debt contracting. We use the auditor's explanatory language to partition MAOs into Inconsistency opinions, resulting from an accounting change or a restatement; and Inadequacy opinions, arising from a material...

Unlike purely domestic firms, globalized firms have unique opportunities to engage in international tax planning activities. This study examines whether banks consider international tax planning, and in particular potential earnings repatriation taxes, when setting loan contracts for...

Analyzing a large sample of non-U.S. public firms from 31 countries that obtain private loans, we find that loan syndicates that lend to borrowers that employ Big N auditors are larger and less concentrated and that the lead arrangers and largest investors of these syndicates are able to hold a...

International tax planning strategies, by their very nature, increase firms’ free cash flows, which could improve companies’ creditworthiness. However, these strategies also bring information and agency problems, which may reduce their creditworthiness. To understand which of these effects...

This study explores the association between firm innovation and loan covenant strictness. We find that lenders construct stricter contracts for firms filing more patents, consistent with lenders imposing more oversight on firms when they enter the commercialization stage after having...