3. What theories are able to explain
companies’ decisions regarding capital structure
in the LQ45 index during the post-crisis period
(2010–2015)?
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Pecking Order Theory
Pecking order theory is one of theories relating to
capital structure. It was proposed by Myers and
Majluf (1984, as cited in Husnan, 2000, p. 324) and
explains why a company determines a particular
source of funding order to fund corporate activities.
Pecking order theory states that companies prefer to
use internal funding, and if companies need external
funding to fulfil their operational activities, then
they will use the lowest risk form of borrowing
(Husnan, 2000, p. 324).
This theory relies on two factors: information
asymmetry and adverse asymmetry selection cost
(Myers & Majluf, 1984). Information asymmetry is
where those internal to a company are considered
more informed about the company’s situation than
external parties who have an interest in the
company’s activities (e.g. investors). Adverse
selection cost relates to the consequences arising
from information asymmetry between management
and investors, where investors assume that managers
are likely to publish shares if they are confident that
the stock price is overvalued. Therefore, investors
often interpret the announcement of the issuance of
shares as a negative signal, i.e. bad news about the
company’s prospects, thus resulting in a declining
share price.
On the other hand, investors assume that debt
issuance reflects the managers’ belief that the future
prospects of the company are very good and that the
market (as stated in the stock price) is not entirely
appreciative of the actual value of the company. In
this sense, the issuance of debt provides a positive
signal that the manager believes the stock price is
undervalued.
This problem can be solved by the company
through using securities that have the lowest adverse
selection risk. Retained earnings is the best choice
for management to avoid such problems because the
use of internal funds does not incur costs or require
information to investors (Ross, Westerfield & Jaffe,
2010, p. 539). This theory can explain why firms
with a high level of profitability will have low debt
levels. In addition, pecking order theory is able to
explain the interrelation between the selection of
sources of funding and the market response in
relation to the issuance of securities by the company.
2.2 Hypotheses Development
2.2.1 The Effect of Institutional Ownership
on Capital Structure
Ownership represents a source of power that can be
used to support, or otherwise, the existence of
management, and so the concentration/distribution
of power becomes relevant. In this regard,
institutional investors, such as insurance companies,
banks, investment companies, and ownership by
other institutions in the form of companies, will
encourage a more optimized oversight of insider
performance. Research by Chung and Wang (2014),
Indahningrum (2009), and Primadhanny (2016)
found that institutional ownership has a negative
effect on companies’ capital structure, which
illustrates that the presence of institutional owners
can reduce companies’ debt and thus minimize the
agency cost of debt.
Research by Agyei and Owusu (2014), Hasan
(2009), Laksana and Widyawati (2016), Larasati
(2011), Maftukhah (2013), and Nuraina (2012)
found opposing results, in that institutional
ownership positively affects companies’ capital
structure. This means that the greater the
involvement of institutional investors in monitoring,
the greater the use of debt.
H1: Institutional ownership has a positive
relationship with companies’ capital structure.
2.2.2 Profitability Effect on Capital
Structure
Profitability is the result of a series of policies and
activities conducted by management. Through
pecking order theory, Myers and Majluf (1984)
conclude that, in funding its investment activities, a
company will follow a hierarchy of risk, meaning
that a company with a high level of profitability
tends to use internal funds as opposed to external
funds, which is also in line with research conducted
by Agha (2015), Agyei and Owusu (2014), and
Indahningrum (2009).
On static trade-off theory, companies with a high
profitability rate prefer debt to fund their business
activities. This is done in order to get tax shielding
benefits, which are produced by debt, so as to
increase company value (Seftianne, 2011).
H2: Profitability has a positive relationship with
companies’ capital structure.