Debt maturity and the marginal value of cash holdings

This study investigates the impact of debt maturity on the marginal value of cash holdings. It posits that short-term debt acts as a crucial governance mechanism by reducing agency conflicts and aligning managerial actions with shareholder interests. Using a sample of U.S. public firms, the results indicate that firms with higher proportions of short-term debt have a greater marginal value of cash, reflecting more efficient resource allocation and reduced managerial opportunism. The necessity for frequent capital market interactions associated with short-term debt mitigates agency conflicts. Additionally, the study explores three potential mechanisms: financial constraints, managerial moral hazard, and information asymmetry.