Debt maturity in family firms: Heterogeneity across countries

Abstract

This study examines whether the heterogeneity of family firms and their legal and institutional contexts shape their debt maturity. We analyze a dataset of 121,238 listed and private firms worldwide (105 countries) and find significant differences in the determinants of family firms’ debt maturity according to whether they are listed or private SMEs. Our findings show that listed family firms have shorter debt maturities when they have a family CEO, have more concentrated ownership, and are in weak contexts, while these same features facilitate private family SMEs’ access to long-term debt. Generational transition favors longer-term debt in both listed and private family firms.