Oligopoly and Financial Structure: The Limited Liability Effect

S-Tier
Journal: American Economic Review
Year: 1986
Volume: 76
Issue: 5
Pages: 956-70

Score contribution per author:

4.022 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 4.0x S-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

The authors argue that product market decisions and financial structure will normally be related. Assuming an oligopoly structure in which financial decisions and output decisions follow insequence, it is shown that limited liability may commit a leveraged firm to a more aggressive output stance, expanding its market share and profit at the expense of a fully equity-financed rival. Firms will therefore have incentives to use financial structure to influence the product market, leading normally, to an internal solution for the debt equity ratio even in the absence of bankruptcy costs and tax advantages of debt.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aecrev:v:76:y:1986:i:5:p:956-70
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-24