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This paper investigated the change in corporate debt levels in South Africa from 1994 to 2016. Included is an analysis of factors that companies take into consideration when determining the company's capital structure. This study used data from companies, largely from the mining sector, within sectors listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), including chemicals, general industries, oil and gas. Four different leverage measures were used to determine the change in capital structure for the period under review, as well as six of the most commonly used determinants of capital structure. A high-level interpretation of the results reflected the following; a slight but relatively consistent increase in the use of debt relative to equity over the period for both the total sample and the mining sector. An increase in the use of long- relative to short term debt was also found, as well as a convergence between the use of current and non-current liabilities. Results from the analysis of the capital structure determinants varied, with some showing statistical significance. Asset tangibility was positively correlated to debt, while profitability and growth had a negative relationship. The relationship between company size, tax and cost of debt and leverage was varied.

This paper aims to investigate the change in corporate debt levels in South Africa from 1994 to 2016, included is an analysis of factors that firms take into consideration when determining the company’s capital structure. This study uses data from firms in the Real Estate and REIT, Travel and Leisure and Construction and Materials sectors listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). Four different leverage measures are used to determine the change in capital structure for the period under review, as well as six of the most commonly used determinants of capital structure. A high level interpretation of the results reflected the following; an increase in the use of debt in the Travel and Leisure and Construction and Materials Sectors, however a significant decrease in the use of debt relative to equity was seen in the Real Estate and REIT Sector thus skewing the Total Sample findings considerably. An increase in the use of long term debt relative to short term was also found. Results from the analysis of the capital structure determinants varied, with some determinants showing statistical significance. The following determinants were positively related to debt; firm size, asset tangibility and growth while the determinants; cost of debt and tax had a negative relationship. The relationship between profitability and leverage was varied.

Diversas teorias ao longo do tempo apresentam explicações sobre as estruturas de capital das organizações. As principais são a teoria Pecking Order, Teoria Trade Off e Teoria Free Cash-Flow, com base na teoria de Agência. Todas essas teorias apresentam relações teóricas entre alguns determinantes de estruturas de capital vinculadas a firma que poderiam interferir na decisão de financiamento. Uma segunda linha de estudos, vinculada a esta, apresenta que determinantes externas a firma também interferem nesta estrutura de capital, porém as variáveis de firma comportam-se de forma semelhante em diferentes cenários econômicos. (RAJAN e ZINGALES, 1995; BOOTH et. al., 2001; de JONG et. al., 2008; GURCHARAN, 2010; KAYO e KIMURA, 2011). Considerando as pesquisas anteriores, desenvolveu-se uma investigação para a confirmação desta hipótese, com o objetivo de identificar quais variáveis são mais importantes na tomada de decisão financeira e se há variabilidade em cenários temporais e ambientes econômicos distintos. Para tal foram analisadas 10.243 empresas sediadas em 61 países distintos no período de 2002-2011, totalizando o número de 58.423 observações firma ano, por meio de um modelo de regressão linear hierárquica de três níveis com medidas repetidas, verificando qual a importância das variáveis de firma e país no endividamento, se há variação das mesmas em países com diferentes contextos econômicos e em períodos de crescimento e retração econômica. Foram analisadas cinco determinantes clássicas de firma (lucratividade, tangibilidade, proteção fiscal não advinda da dívida, tamanho e oportunidades de crescimento), e onze variáveis de país que possuem relação com o endividamento (PIB, inflação, taxa de impostos, volume negociado em ações, liquidez de bolsa, capitalização das empresas listadas, índice risco país, taxa de juros, enforcement jurídico, nível de proteção ao investidor e nível de disclosure de negócios). A partir das análises realizadas, foi identificado que o endividamento está ligado em maior grau a características das firmas e ao tempo, e em menor grau, porém significante, às características do ambiente. Foi identificado que não há mudanças extremamente significativas no comportamento das variáveis de firma entre economias desenvolvidas e em desenvolvimento, assim como entre períodos pré e pós-crise financeira de 2008. Em relação as determinantes de país analisadas, observa-se que as mesmas apresentam comportamento adverso em função da crise de 2008, perdendo capacidade explicativa, e não apresentam comportamento de mudança de sinal dos coeficientes quando comparados países com desenvolvimento econômico distinto. Identifica-se que características do desenvolvimento econômico ficam mais evidentes no processo de financiamento, como acesso a recursos em economias com menor desenvolvimento. Os resultados apresentam convergência com os estudos anteriores como os de Moore (1986), Rajan e Zingales (1995), Booth et. al. (2001), Kayo e Kimura (2011), Bebzcuk e Galindo (2011), Akbar et. al (2012), entre outros. / Several theories over time present explanations of the capital structures of organizations. The main theories are the Pecking Order Theory, Trade Off and Free Cash-Flow Theory, based on the Agency Theory. All these theories have some theoretical relationships between determinants of capital structures linked to firm that could interfere in the financing decision. A second line of studies, linked to this, shows that determinants outside the firm also interfere in capital structure, but the firm variables behave similarly in different economic scenarios (RAJAN and ZINGALES, 1995; BOOTH et. al., 2001; de JONG et. al., 2008; GURCHARAN, 2010; KAYO and KIMURA, 2011). Considering previous researches, we developed an investigation to confirm this hypothesis, identifying which variables are the most important in financial decision-making and there is variability in temporal scenarios and different economic environments. To this end, we analyzed 10,243 companies based in 61 different countries in the period 2002-2011, a total number of 58,423 firm year observations, through a hierarchical linear regression model of three levels with repeated measures, checking the importance of the variables firm and country in debt, if there is variation in the same countries with different economic contexts and periods of growth and downturn. We analyzed five firm classical determinants ( profitability , tangibility, non-debt tax shield , size and growth opportunities) , and eleven variables that are related to country debt ( GDP , inflation, taxes , trading volume in shares , stock liquidity , capitalization of listed companies, country risk index , interest rate , law enforcement , level of investor protection and disclosure level) . From the analysis, it was identified the debt is linked to a greater degree the characteristics of firms and time, and on a lesser degree, but significant, with characteristics of the environment. It wasn\'t identified very significant changes in the behavior of firm variables between developed and developing countries, as well as between pre-and post- 2008 financial crisis. Regarding the determinants of country analyzed, it is observed that they present adverse behavior due to the 2008 crisis, losing explanatory power, and have no behavior change in sign of the coefficients when comparing countries with different economic development. Characteristics of economic development become more evident in the funding process, such as access to resources in less developed economies. The results show convergence with previous studies such as Moore (1986) , Rajan and Zingales (1995) Booth et al. al. (2001) Kayo and Kimura (2011) , Bebzcuk and Galindo (2011) , Akbar et al. al (2012 ), among others

Diversas teorias ao longo do tempo apresentam explicações sobre as estruturas de capital das organizações. As principais são a teoria Pecking Order, Teoria Trade Off e Teoria Free Cash-Flow, com base na teoria de Agência. Todas essas teorias apresentam relações teóricas entre alguns determinantes de estruturas de capital vinculadas a firma que poderiam interferir na decisão de financiamento. Uma segunda linha de estudos, vinculada a esta, apresenta que determinantes externas a firma também interferem nesta estrutura de capital, porém as variáveis de firma comportam-se de forma semelhante em diferentes cenários econômicos. (RAJAN e ZINGALES, 1995; BOOTH et. al., 2001; de JONG et. al., 2008; GURCHARAN, 2010; KAYO e KIMURA, 2011). Considerando as pesquisas anteriores, desenvolveu-se uma investigação para a confirmação desta hipótese, com o objetivo de identificar quais variáveis são mais importantes na tomada de decisão financeira e se há variabilidade em cenários temporais e ambientes econômicos distintos. Para tal foram analisadas 10.243 empresas sediadas em 61 países distintos no período de 2002-2011, totalizando o número de 58.423 observações firma ano, por meio de um modelo de regressão linear hierárquica de três níveis com medidas repetidas, verificando qual a importância das variáveis de firma e país no endividamento, se há variação das mesmas em países com diferentes contextos econômicos e em períodos de crescimento e retração econômica. Foram analisadas cinco determinantes clássicas de firma (lucratividade, tangibilidade, proteção fiscal não advinda da dívida, tamanho e oportunidades de crescimento), e onze variáveis de país que possuem relação com o endividamento (PIB, inflação, taxa de impostos, volume negociado em ações, liquidez de bolsa, capitalização das empresas listadas, índice risco país, taxa de juros, enforcement jurídico, nível de proteção ao investidor e nível de disclosure de negócios). A partir das análises realizadas, foi identificado que o endividamento está ligado em maior grau a características das firmas e ao tempo, e em menor grau, porém significante, às características do ambiente. Foi identificado que não há mudanças extremamente significativas no comportamento das variáveis de firma entre economias desenvolvidas e em desenvolvimento, assim como entre períodos pré e pós-crise financeira de 2008. Em relação as determinantes de país analisadas, observa-se que as mesmas apresentam comportamento adverso em função da crise de 2008, perdendo capacidade explicativa, e não apresentam comportamento de mudança de sinal dos coeficientes quando comparados países com desenvolvimento econômico distinto. Identifica-se que características do desenvolvimento econômico ficam mais evidentes no processo de financiamento, como acesso a recursos em economias com menor desenvolvimento. Os resultados apresentam convergência com os estudos anteriores como os de Moore (1986), Rajan e Zingales (1995), Booth et. al. (2001), Kayo e Kimura (2011), Bebzcuk e Galindo (2011), Akbar et. al (2012), entre outros. / Several theories over time present explanations of the capital structures of organizations. The main theories are the Pecking Order Theory, Trade Off and Free Cash-Flow Theory, based on the Agency Theory. All these theories have some theoretical relationships between determinants of capital structures linked to firm that could interfere in the financing decision. A second line of studies, linked to this, shows that determinants outside the firm also interfere in capital structure, but the firm variables behave similarly in different economic scenarios (RAJAN and ZINGALES, 1995; BOOTH et. al., 2001; de JONG et. al., 2008; GURCHARAN, 2010; KAYO and KIMURA, 2011). Considering previous researches, we developed an investigation to confirm this hypothesis, identifying which variables are the most important in financial decision-making and there is variability in temporal scenarios and different economic environments. To this end, we analyzed 10,243 companies based in 61 different countries in the period 2002-2011, a total number of 58,423 firm year observations, through a hierarchical linear regression model of three levels with repeated measures, checking the importance of the variables firm and country in debt, if there is variation in the same countries with different economic contexts and periods of growth and downturn. We analyzed five firm classical determinants ( profitability , tangibility, non-debt tax shield , size and growth opportunities) , and eleven variables that are related to country debt ( GDP , inflation, taxes , trading volume in shares , stock liquidity , capitalization of listed companies, country risk index , interest rate , law enforcement , level of investor protection and disclosure level) . From the analysis, it was identified the debt is linked to a greater degree the characteristics of firms and time, and on a lesser degree, but significant, with characteristics of the environment. It wasn\'t identified very significant changes in the behavior of firm variables between developed and developing countries, as well as between pre-and post- 2008 financial crisis. Regarding the determinants of country analyzed, it is observed that they present adverse behavior due to the 2008 crisis, losing explanatory power, and have no behavior change in sign of the coefficients when comparing countries with different economic development. Characteristics of economic development become more evident in the funding process, such as access to resources in less developed economies. The results show convergence with previous studies such as Moore (1986) , Rajan and Zingales (1995) Booth et al. al. (2001) Kayo and Kimura (2011) , Bebzcuk and Galindo (2011) , Akbar et al. al (2012 ), among others

In this paper, an attempt has been made to examine the evolution of corporate leverage of companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) from 1994 to 2016. Analysis of the data set is organized around a sample of 126 listed companies across twelve sub-sector industries, namely, Banks, Financial Services, Life Insurance, Fixed Line Telecommunications, Nonlife Insurance, Health Care Equipment and Services, Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology, Media, Technology Hardware and Equipment, Software and Computer Services, Electronic and Electrical Equipment and Support Services. 621 delisted companies were also briefly analysed to eliminate survivorship bias. Results of multiple regressions using two primary leverage measures and six commonly used determinants of capital structure were varied. Tangibility and growth were negatively related to debt while cost of debt was positively related to debt. Firm size, profitability and corporate tax rate yielded a varied relationship with corporate leverage. Only the growth capital structure determinant showed statistical significance. The overall findings indicate a rise in corporate leverage that coincides in tandem with major local and international economic events.