Determinants of Capital Structure of Indian Corporate Sector in the Period of Bull Run 2003-2007 - An Econometric Study

Abstract

There are three major theories in the Corporate Finance literature, namely, Trade-off theory, Agency Cost theory and Pecking-Order theory that highlight different determinants of corporate capital structure. In an attempt to study the determinants of capital structure in Indian scenario and to verify whether any of the above mentioned theories can characterize the Indian corporate financing, this paper makes an empirical study of the capital financing pattern of 76 Indian firms for the period 2003-2007, the period of unprecedented growth of Indian economy. The study makes fixed effect panel data (LSDV) regression and finds out that financing with internal funds, as suggested by pecking-order theory has emerged as a major feature of corporate capital structure. Some other determinants, however, have patterns of influences that match with the postulates of other two theories. The analysis finds out that the capital structure pattern on an average portends well for long term development of Indian corporate sector.