Capital Structure Change
What should a firm do when it finds that its desired capital structure differs significantly from its current capital structure? There are two basic choices: change its capital structure slowly or change it more quickly. A firm can alter its capital structure slowly by adjusting its future financing mix appropriately. For example, suppose a firm’s target capital structure consists of 35% long-term debt and 65% common equity, and its current capital structure consists 25% long-term debt and 75% common equity. The firm could cure the under leveraged condition by using long-term debt for all new external financing until the long-term debt ratio reached 35%. However, this means that the firm’s capital structure would continue to be “suboptimal” while the firm changed it over time. Alternatively, the firm can change its capital structure quickly through an exchange offer, recapitalization offer, debt or share repurchase, or stock-for-debt swap. Of course, such a Continue reading