Pecking-Order or Static Trade-off Theory in Family Firms? Evidence from Belgium

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether a difference can be stated in the family firms' financial choices. Using the Shyam-Sunder and Myers model, our research focus on the financial behaviour of family and non-family privately held firms in Belgium. Out of a sample of 210 privately held firms for the period 2002-2010, panel data methodology is employed to estimate Pecking-Order and Static Trade-offmodels. Our results show that although neither Pecking Order nor Static Trade-offTheory seems to apply to non-family firms, family firms are more likely to adopt an indebtedness target ratio. Moreover, the introduction of an allowance for corporate equity on the Belgian market is also taken into account. Our results indicate that such a mechanism seems to have an influence on the family firms funding choices. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]