Determinants of short-term debt financing

ABSTRACT

In this study, it is shown that both theories put forward to explain the amount of shortterm debt financing that a firm employs have validity. The matching principle correctly predicts that the amount of short-term debt financing that a firm uses is directly related to the quantity of the firm's current assets. Additionally, other factors that have been shown to affect the levels of long-term debt financing that a firm employs are also shown to affect the amount of short-term debt financing that a firm uses. Specifically, the amount of firm short-term debt financing is shown to be inversely related to the amount of the firm's non-debt tax shields, growth opportunities, product uniqueness and firm size. Additionally, short-term debt...