Xiaoran Huang, Massimo Massa,Lei Zhang: Do Share holder Leverage Constraints Affect Debtholders?-厦门大学金融系

Xiaoran Huang, Massimo Massa,Lei Zhang: Do Share holder Leverage Constraints Affect Debtholders?

发表期刊:Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis

发表时间:October 2025

作者及单位:Xiaoran Huang(School of Economics, Wangyanan Institute for Economic Studies, Xiamen University), Massimo Massa,Lei Zhang

摘要:We examine the relationship between shareholder leverage constraints and corporate risk-taking, focusing on its impact on debtholders. Our findings show that mutual fund leverage constraints are related to more risk-taking activities of portfolio companies, inducing higher credit risk and greater risk-shifting concerns for the firms’ debtholders. In response, the debtholders raise borrowing costs and tighten lending conditions. These effects intensify for firms facing higher levels of conflict between debtholders and shareholders and when mutual funds exert greater influence over firms. Econometric analyses, including instrumental variable specifications and asset management company mergers, support a causal interpretation.

关键词:betting-against-beta, leverage constraint, cost of debt, debtholdershareholder conflict, corporate risk-taking