Employing panel data analysis, the study investigated the impact of risk on speed and costs of adjustments on target leverage on listed firms from the African markets—a panel data set of 2790 observations for 12 years spanning from 2008 to 2019. Based on the results of the Unit root test and Granger causality test, there are bidirectional relationships between risk and capital structure and vice versa. Additionally, Panel DOLS and System GMM were applied for regression and comparison analysis between the African markets and South Africa. The estimates disclose that when companies experience lower risk, the costs of adjustment toward the target are higher. Hence, companies can re‐adjust their capital structure more easily by issuing external capital over periods of stable economic environments, thereby improving their market value. Considering the case of South Africa, the first DOLS results outlined similar estimates compared to the African market. Conversely, when measured with System GMM, the estimates imply that firms incur difficulties in adjusting costs, thus reducing leverage due to unfavorable macroeconomic indicators in line with the pecking order theory stating that in African economies, companies spend more on expenses and adjust their capital structure slowly to reach their optimal target position.
Purpose of Study: The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of idiosyncratic and macroeconomic risks on financing decision on SADC countries. Methodology: Employing data from the African Financials database, the analysis is conducted over a ten-year period spanning from 2008 - 2019 for 309 companies. Unit Root Fisher Chi- Square Test and Granger Causality test were employed to test for unidirectional and bidirectional relationships cross-sectionally. Pooled Regression Analysis- (Fixed and Random effect) was employed as main topology for panel regression analysis. Findings: The study confirmed that companies become risk averse when there is an increase in idiosyncratic and macroeconomic risk and therefore take less leverage whichever type of financing decision is opted. In other words, when there are high idiosyncratic risks, debt to equity ratio is low. Banking and financial institutions charge a higher risk premium for companies having a high-risk profile. Due to this, the cost of debt financing augments. Therefore, companies employ internal financing and reduce debts due to high bankruptcy risk and costs. This finding is in line with the pecking order theory (Myers and Majluf, 1984). Conversely, a significant positive linkage is reported in Namibia and South Africa. This estimate posits that these companies use more debts during periods of high idiosyncratic risk which corresponds to the trade- off theory. Originality: The study is among one of the pioneering works underpinning the idiosyncratic risk and macroeconomic risk on capital structure and relying on a large number of companies across the SADC region. In this respect, it adds contribution to the existing literature on risks and capital structure to the socio-economic goals of the SADC region.
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