Purpose – This paper aims to test the irrelevance proposition whereby changes in capital structure do not affect firm value. Design/methodology/approach – The long-run effect of changes in capital structure on firm value is examined, using a sample of 243 French firms over the period...

This study deals with the evolution of the financing of large Canadian companies from 1960 to 1994. Part I shows that there hass been no significant increase in total corporate debt in Canada, as there has been in the U.S. Total indebtness increased between 1960 and 1982 and then declined; by...