Hypotheses and Model Development
1. Fundamental Signals and Credit Ratings The objective of this study is to investigate the information content of fundamental analysis in explaining short-term and long-term credit ratings and long-term earnings growth forecasts. Commercial paper credit rating is used as a measure of short-term creditworthiness of the firm whereas bond credit rating is used as a proxy for long-term credit rating. The fundamental signals of interest and their hypothesized relationships with credit ratings are described as follows.
1.1 Capital Structure (Debt to Equity Ratio) The firm’s creditworthiness is related to its capital structure. The firm’s capital structure affects the potential of default and bankruptcy, and thus affects its credit rating. Long-term debt to common equity is normally used as a proxy for the firm’s capital structure. In general, firms with relatively high debt to equity ratio are more susceptible to adverse effects in economic changes and thus expose to more risk. Therefore, both the levels and changes in debt to equity ratios are hypothesized to negatively associate with the level of credit rating and its change.
1.2 Short-Term Liquidity (Current Ratio and Cash Flow) Short-term liquidity measures the ability of the firm to pay short-term debt. Two measures are used to capture short-term debt paying ability. The first indicator is current ratio. In general, the higher the ratio, the more liquid the company. Cash flow is another indicator of the ability to pay dividends and liabilities. The higher the cash flow, the better the paying ability. Therefore, positive relations between short-term liquidity measures and credit ratings are expected. In addition, Nayar and Rozeff (1994) show that firms with high CP ratings have higher announcement period stock returns than those with lower ratings due to the fact that firms with high CP ratings can enter into the debt market at cheaper transaction costs. As such, short-term liquidity measures are expected to be more pronounced in the case of CP ratings than in the case of bond credit ratings.
1.3 Profitability (ROA, Times Interest Earned, and EPS) Three measures are used in profitability test. The first ratio is return on asset (ROA), which measures profitability of the firm in performing its primary business functions. In general, the higher the ratio, the better the performance. The second and third measures are times interest earned ratio, which reflects the likelihood that creditor will continue to receive their interest payments, and earnings per share (EPS), which measures accounting performance of the fi rm. All three signals are expected to associate positively with credit ratings. In addition, EPS is also expected to associate positively with analysts’ forecasts.
Hypotheses and Model Development 1. Fundamental Signals and Credit Ratings The objective of this study is to investigate the information content of fundamental analysis in explaining short-term and long-term credit ratings and long-term earnings growth forecasts. Commercial paper credit rating is used as a measure of short-term creditworthiness of the firm whereas bond credit rating is used as a proxy for long-term credit rating. The fundamental signals of interest and their hypothesized relationships with credit ratings are described as follows. 1.1 Capital Structure (Debt to Equity Ratio) The firm’s creditworthiness is related to its capital structure. The firm’s capital structure affects the potential of default and bankruptcy, and thus affects its credit rating. Long-term debt to common equity is normally used as a proxy for the firm’s capital structure. In general, firms with relatively high debt to equity ratio are more susceptible to adverse effects in economic changes and thus expose to more risk. Therefore, both the levels and changes in debt to equity ratios are hypothesized to negatively associate with the level of credit rating and its change. สภาพคล่องระยะสั้น 1.2 สภาพคล่องระยะสั้น (อัตราส่วนสภาพคล่องและกระแสเงินสด) วัดความสามารถของบริษัทเพื่อชำระหนี้ระยะสั้น มาตรการที่สองจะใช้ในการรวบรวมความสามารถในการชำระหนี้ระยะสั้น ตัวบ่งชี้แรกมีอัตราส่วนสภาพคล่อง ทั่วไป อัตราสูง ของเหลวเพิ่มมากขึ้นบริษัท กระแสเงินสดเป็นตัวบ่งชี้ความสามารถในการจ่ายเงินปันผลและหนี้สินอื่น กระแสเงินสดสูง สามารถชำระเงินที่ดี ดังนั้น ความสัมพันธ์ทางบวกระหว่างการวัดสภาพคล่องระยะสั้นและจัดอันดับเครดิตคาดว่า นอกจากนี้ จำหน่ายขายทั้งหมดและ Rozeff (1994) แสดงที่บริษัท มีจัดอันดับ CP สูงมีระยะเวลาประกาศสูงหุ้นกลับมากกว่า ผู้ที่มีอันดับต่ำกว่าเนื่องจากข้อเท็จจริงที่ว่าบริษัท มีจัดอันดับ CP สูงสามารถเข้า หนี้ตลาดที่ถูกกว่าต้นทุนธุรกรรม เช่น หน่วยวัดสภาพคล่องระยะสั้นคาดว่าจะชัดเจนยิ่งขึ้นในกรณีของ CP จัดอันดับมากกว่าในกรณีของการจัดอันดับเครดิตตราสารหนี้ 1.3 Profitability (ROA, Times Interest Earned, and EPS) Three measures are used in profitability test. The first ratio is return on asset (ROA), which measures profitability of the firm in performing its primary business functions. In general, the higher the ratio, the better the performance. The second and third measures are times interest earned ratio, which reflects the likelihood that creditor will continue to receive their interest payments, and earnings per share (EPS), which measures accounting performance of the fi rm. All three signals are expected to associate positively with credit ratings. In addition, EPS is also expected to associate positively with analysts’ forecasts.
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