The "rst term is positive. The second term contains *P/*k, which is negative. A higher value of k (i.e., a weaker legal environment) implies that (*P/*R)/P increases, so that the value of the "rm, P, becomes more sensitive in percentage terms to a change in the rate of return, R. The same result holds if we allow "rms to borrow debt as well as issue equity. However, the presence of debt implies a range of values for R within which a lower value of R actually means less stealing because the manager steals less (or even transfers funds into the "rm if that is possible) in order to enable the "rm to service its debt and therefore preserve the possibility of future stealing. If R falls su$ciently low, however, then the manager will choose to loot the "rm and it will go out of existence. In the data, therefore, we will look at percentage changes in "rms' values.