Testing the capital structure of Portuguese family businesses

ABSTRACT The main objective of this study is to empirically test capital structure decisions in Portuguese family-owned businesses under trade-off theory (TOT) and pecking order theory (POT) and attend to the relationships between family/business interaction and agency conflicts. Family-owned businesses are essential for the development of economies, but the financing logic they adopt is not yet adequately clarified by scientific research, especially as they are more exposed to the constraints of markets imperfections. The specific pattern of business ownership may affect the financing decision and the ability to obtain funds externally. This issue is more relevant in economies where family business initiatives and less sophisticated management strategies are expressive. The greater convergence of interests in family businesses and the consequent decrease in agency costs may lead to higher levels of recognized reputation and thus easier access to indebtedness. The empirical study uses static models and dynamic panel models in order to analyze data from 4,952 Portuguese family-owned firms over the period from 2009 to 2016: the TOT following the partial debt adjustment model, and the POT following the model of the impact of the deficit of funds on debt and the model of the relationship between debt and the determinants of financing. The results of the individual tests suggest that Portuguese family-owned businesses adjust debt at the target ratio, albeit influenced by adjustment costs that keep them distant from the optimal, as well as use sources other than debt when a financial deficit occurs. Although the impact of the financial deficit is greater in total debt ratio, the velocity of adjustment to the optimal level is higher in short-term debt. Evidence from a joint test confirms that both theories explain part of the capital structure of Portuguese family-owned businesses.