The Corporate Bond Market and Alternative Debt Sources in Brazil: A Comparative Analysis (2004-2014)

Abstract

This study investigates the relation between the corporate bond market and the main debt financing alternatives available to firms in Brazil from 2004 to 2014. In this period, three main sources of debt financing were available: loans from commercial banks, loans from the National Development Bank, and the issuance of international bonds. We analyze the characteristics of each alternative, as well as their advantages and disadvantages in relation to corporate bond issuance, considering three main aspects: i) total cost, which includes the interest rate, taxes and fixed costs; ii) maturity; and iii) contracting speed. The results corroborate the initial hypothesis that, although the alternative debt sources competed with corporate bonds, there was also a complementary relation among them.