study.
This study estimates the impact of a change in debt level on firm values. Two
forms of capital structure change are examined: issuer exchange offers, and
recapitalizations. The results indicate that both stock prices and firm values are
positively related to changes in debt level and leverage; senior security prices are
negatively related to these capital structure change variables. This evidence is
consistent with models of optimal capital structure and with the hypothesis that
debt level changes release information about changes in firm value.