Collateral, Ease of Repossession, and Leases: Evidence from Antirecharacterization Laws
研究破产时抵押品收回的便利性如何影响公司租赁政策，发现反定性法使有担保贷款收回抵押品更容易，从而减少公司租赁，且该效应集中在融资受限的公司和资产专用性低的公司。
This paper studies how the ease of repossessing collateral in bankruptcy affects corporate leasing policy. Using plausibly exogenous variation of the ability to repossess assets generated by state antirecharacterization laws, I find that the antirecharacterization laws, which make collateral repossession easier for secured lending, reduces corporate leasing. Consistent with the argument that only financially constrained firms value additional debt capacity because of the increased ability to repossess assets, I find that the effect concentrates in financially constrained firms. I also find that the effect is much stronger for firms with less specific assets. In addition, I find that the laws also affect leverage, cash holding, and corporate investment. This paper was accepted by Gustavo Manso, finance.