We provide a methodological contribution by developing, describing and evaluating a method for automatically retrieving and analysing text from digital PDF annual report files published by firms listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE). The retrieval method retains information on document structure, enabling clear delineation between narrative and financial statement components of reports, and between individual sections within the narratives component. Retrieval accuracy exceeds 95% for manual validations using a random sample of 586 reports. Large-sample statistical validations using a comprehensive sample of reports published by non-financial LSE firms confirm that report length, narrative tone and (to a lesser degree) readability vary predictably with economic and regulatory factors. We demonstrate how the method is adaptable to non-English language documents and different regulatory regimes using a case study of Portuguese reports. We use the procedure to construct new research resources including corpora for commonly occurring annual report sections and a dataset of text properties for over 26,000 U.K. annual reports.

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This paper examines which factors determine the pricing of loans for LBOs, using a worldwide sample of 11,111 loans closed in the 2000-2016 period. Our findings are consistent with the hypotheses that loans for LBOs extended to borrowers in market-versus bank-based financial systems are differently priced, and that law and institutional characteristics are important determinants of spreads for deals closed in market-oriented countries. Despite LBO loan pricing differing significantly in normal versus crisis times, loans extended to borrowers in market-based financial systems have higher spreads than those where banks play a major role. Our results also support the hypothesis of tranching as a mechanism of reducing spreads by completing financial markets and mitigating informational asymmetries. Finally, a robust convex relationship between spread and maturity is found, suggesting higher market competition by banks and investors for standard, medium-term maturities.