This study investigates whether modern theories can explain capital structure in a historical environment which was characterized by poor investor protection, booming stock markets and strong banks, and in which taxes did not affect leverage. Our results, based on a unique, hand-collected sample of 556 firm-year observations for 129 listed companies in Belgium before World War I, are remarkably similar to findings for present-day samples. Leverage was positively related to asset tangibility, firm size and firm age, and it was negatively related to profitability and prior stock returns. Bank relationships were associated with lower leverage. Copyright (c) 2008 The Authors Journal compilation (c) 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

We investigate the impact of universal banks on the performance and the risk of affiliated companies in an unregulated environment with booming financial markets.For a unique sample of 129 Belgian companies listed in the period 1905-1909, we find that universal bank affiliation had a positive impact on the market-to-book ratio and return-on-assets. The effect on performance was positively related to the degree of bank involvement. Universal banks significantly reduced the volatility of return-onassets. Stock return performance, measured by the Sharpe ratio, was also significantly better for affiliated corporations.

We investigate the impact of universal banks on the performance and the risk of affiliated companies in an unregulated environment with booming financial markets.For a unique sample of 129 Belgian companies listed in the period 1905-1909, we find that universal bank affiliation had a positive impact on the market-to-book ratio and return-on-assets. The effect on performance was positively related to the degree of bank involvement. Universal banks significantly reduced the volatility of return-onassets. Stock return performance, measured by the Sharpe ratio, was also significantly better for affiliated corporations.

We investigate the determinants of trade credit granted by suppliers in a historical environment which was characterized by high information asymmetries and strong banks, focusing on the role of bank-firm relationships. Our results, which are based on a unique sample of 535 firm-year observations for 125 listed Belgian firms in four dominant industries in the period 1905-1909, are generally consistent with the financing role of trade credit. They suggest that trade credit was a tool for channeling funds from firms with close bank ties to other firms, which is consistent with findings for contemporary developing countries

We investigate the determinants of corporate financial reporting in an unregulated setting. Prior to the First World War, limited liability companies in Belgium were obliged to publish financial statements, but financial reporting was virtually unregulated. Investor protection was generally very poor. Nevertheless, Belgian stock markets were booming. While the amount of information disclosed in the financial statements was generally low relative to the current levels of disclosure, there was significant variation in financial reporting across firms. Our results suggest that financial reporting was significantly affected by universal bank affiliations, bond financing and stock returns. Dividends were a substitute for income statement transparency.