We quantify the importance of trade credit chains for the propagation of corporate bankruptcies. Our results show that trade creditors (suppliers) that issue more trade credit are more exposed to trade debtor (customer) failures, both in terms of the likelihood of experiencing a debtor failure...

All men are created equal, but all liabilities are not. Some liabilities are more equal than others. These "financial liabilities" are products of financial firms. These products shift risk (insurance or derivatives) or provide liquidity (bank deposits or repurchase agreements). Since these...

The 2008 crisis dealt a severe blow to SMEs, and they are still struggling to get back to the growth rates seen before the global turmoil. After improving slightly between 2010 and 2011, profit margins have since deteriorated again, placing a drag on investment. Nonetheless, since 2010, SMEs...

This paper assesses the extent to which the US bankruptcy system is effective in providing small businesses a “fresh start” after a bankruptcy filing. I use data from the 1993, 1998 and 2003 National Survey of Small Business Finances to explore how firms fare after a bankruptcy filing. On...

On May 11-12, 2011, SUERF, the Belgian Financial Forum, the Brussels Finance Institute and the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) jointly organised the 29th SUERF Colloquium New paradigms in money and finance? The papers included in this SUERF Study are based on contributions to the...

The article looks at the financial situation of non-financial corporations in Belgium over the period from 1 January to 31 December 2013. After briefly describing the methodology and the population studied, it presents an extrapolation of the main operating result items for 2013, with a...

La crise de 2008 a marqué une rupture pour les PME, qui n’ont pas retrouvé les rythmes de croissance d’avant-crise. Après une légère remontée en 2010-2011, leur rentabilité s’est encore détériorée, pesant sur l’investissement. Les PME ont toutefois amélioré leur structure...

L’activité des entreprises françaises a peu progressé en 2013 mais leurs marges cessent de s’éroder, ce qui permet aux taux d’épargne et d’autofinancement de se redresser légèrement. La structure financière des entreprises demeure généralement solide. Le taux d’endettement...

In Romania, the economic agents are used to excessively consume raw materials and energy without ensuring, in compensation, the corresponding added value. Thus, it is no wonder that the insolvency is a frequent phenomenon. Another problem of Romania’s economy is determined by the improper...

We investigate the relationship between bankruptcy risk and expected future sales growth for Norwegian non-listed firms for the period 1988-2007. We find that firms with high bankruptcy risk also have high expected future growth. Financial ratios characterizing firms with high bankruptcy risk...