The Agglomeration of Bankruptcy. (19th November 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Benmelech, Efraim; Bergman, Nittai; Milanez, Anna; Mukharlyamov, Vladimir
• Is Part Of: Review of financial studies. Volume 32:Number 7(2019)
• Page Start: 2541
• Page End: 2586
• Publication Date: 2018-11-19
• Subjects: Finance -- United States -- Periodicals; Finance -- Periodicals; 332
• DOI: 10.1093/rfs/hhy114
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0893-9454

Abstract

Abstract: This paper identifies a new channel through which bankrupt firms undergoing liquidation impose negative externalities on their nonbankrupt peers. The liquidation of a retail chain weakens the economies of agglomeration in any given local area, reducing the attractiveness of retail centers for remaining stores and leading to contagion of financial distress. We find that firms with greater geographic exposure to bankrupt retailers are more likely to close stores in affected areas. We further show that the effect of these externalities on nonbankrupt peers is higher when affected stores are smaller and are operated by firms in financial distress. Received December 16, 2015; editorial decision June 28, 2018 by Editor Philip Strahan.