Observed Capital Structures and Factors Affecting Debt Ratios

Factors Affecting Observed Capital Structures

Prev Question Next Question

Question

Which of the following statements is/are true about observed capital structures?

I. Firms with higher stability in sales tend to use higher debt ratios.

II. Firms with a higher ratio of general-purpose assets to special-purpose assets tend to have higher debt ratios.

III. Young firms with higher growth rates tend to have higher debt ratios.

Answers

Explanations

Click on the arrows to vote for the correct answer

A. B. C. D. E. F.

Explanation

Stability of sales implies a stability in profitability. This allows firms to service higher levels of debt without worrying about bankruptcy. Similarly, since general- purpose assets are more valuable as collateral than firm-specific assets, firms with a higher ratio of general-purpose assets to special- purpose assets tend to have higher debt ratios. However, young firms which face higher uncertainty in their project payoffs tend to favor equity financing.