MANAGEMENT OF CORPORATE DEBT DEADLINES: A LOOK AT PUBLICLY TRADED COMPANIES IN BRAZIL

Abstract

This study investigates the maturity structure of listed non-financial Brazilian companies from 2010 to 2019 and reveals that these companies do not spread their debt maturities upon renewal, unlike the results observed by Choi et al. (2018) for US firms. Even after the rollover shock in 2015 where the Brazilian sovereign debt’s investment were downgraded, these firms did not increase the maturity spread of their debt. In addition, the research evaluated corporate debt management by utilizing Brazil’s downgrade as a “quasi-natural experiment” in the exogenous shock model. The results indicate that Brazilian companies may face considerable debt rollover risks due to the concentration of maturities in specific maturity ranges during future credit shocks. Proper control of financing structures is crucial to ensure that companies remain resilient and do not have to turn down profitable investments or high-quality assets during financial crises. This research has significant implications for corporate practice and the associated risks of financing profitable projects, particularly in countries with less efficient capital markets.