After many years of deliberations, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has issued its new standard on Leases. This thesis will examine how the new lease standard can affect a company’s debt agreements with lenders, more specifically debt covenants. It will discuss how the revised lease accounting can alter common debt covenant ratios, and the implications of classifying the lease as operating vs. finance from the perspective of the lessee. A detailed case study incorporating the new accounting changes will illustrate the impact of the new standard on a set of common solvency and liquidity measures. This thesis will then discuss how lenders incorporate leases when structuring debt agreements. It will conclude with a discussion on whether concerns over the new standard are warranted, given that the obligations of the borrower remains fundamentally the same.

Este trabalho tem o objetivo de analisar os determinantes e as conseqüências econômicas das escolhas de práticas contábeis sob a ótica da Hipótese dos Covenants Contratuais. Mais especificamente, este estudo investiga se os administradores de empresas brasileiras com registro na Comissão de Valores Mobiliários (CVM) e que efetuaram captações de longo prazo (debêntures e créditos bancários) realizam mudanças de práticas contábeis voluntárias com o objetivo de evitar a violação de covenants (baseados em números contábeis) estabelecidos nos contratos de dívida. Na análise desse fenômeno, estudos anteriores sugerem que os administradores de empresas adotam práticas contábeis pouco conservadoras (que aumentam o resultado e o patrimônio líquido) com o objetivo de evitar a violação de covenants contábeis. Com base na análise de 125 companhias brasileiras (com registro na CVM) que captaram recursos de longo prazo no mercado de crédito via debêntures e créditos bancários (no período de 2000 a 2006), e utilizando testes estatísticos univariados (histogramas empíricos e teste qui-quadrado) e multivariados (regressão logística), foi possível demonstrar que as referidas empresas não realizam mudanças de práticas contábeis voluntárias com o objetivo de evitar a violação de covenants contábeis. Os principais motivos que fundamentam essa conclusão são: (a) os baixos custos nos casos de violação dos covenants contábeis; (b) a ativa normatização e fiscalização contábil das agências reguladoras de serviços públicos, especialmente no setor de energia elétrica; e (c) as empresas, em geral, já utilizam práticas contábeis pouco conservadoras. Tal resultado permite supor que, a fim de evitar a violação dos covenants contábeis, os administradores adotam ações reais que impactam o fluxo de caixa da companhia. A principal contribuição dos resultados observados é demonstrar que, apesar da existência de covenants contábeis nos títulos de dívida emitidos pelas empresas brasileiras analisadas, não existem evidências significativas de mudanças de práticas voluntárias oportunistas para evitar a violação dos covenants contábeis. Esse resultado indica a presença da Abordagem da Eficiência Contratual no contexto das empresas que realizam captações de recursos de longo prazo no mercado de crédito no Brasil. / The present study aims to analyze the economic motivations and consequences of accounting choices under the Debt Covenants Hypothesis. Specifically, this study investigates if managers of Brazilian companies that issued long-term debts make changes in accounting methods in order to prevent the breaking of covenants (based on accounting numbers) established in debt contracts. In the analysis of this fact, prior studies suggests that managers of those companies adopt accounting methods less conservatives (that increase earnings and equity) with the objective of preventing the breaking of debt covenants. Through the analysis of 125 public Brazilian companies that issued long-term debts (in the period 2000-2006), and using univariate (real histogram and chi-square test) and multivariate (logistic regression) statistical tests, it was possible to demonstrate those companies do not make changes in accounting methods in order to prevent the breaking of covenants established in debt contracts. The main reasons that underlying these results are: (a) the low costs in breaking debt covenants; (b) the active regulation and oversight public services regulatory agencies, especially in electric energy sector; (c) Brazilian companies, in general, already adopt less conservative accounting methods. Such results, allow us to suppose that managers, in order to prevent the breaking of debt covenants, take real actions that impact the companies cash flow. The main contribution of the observed results is to demonstrate that there is no evidence of significant opportunistic accounting choices with the purpose of preventing the breaking of debt covenants. Such results suggest the presence of the Contractual Efficiency Approach in the context of the companies that issued long term debts in Brazil.

No description available.

Adam, the father of all men initiated a fall from innocence; the story of postlapsarian humanity discloses an omnipresent attempt to return to the Garden, the state of innocence. This journey back to consciously achieved innocence is revealed in the story of Israel's quest for the Promised Land, a land covenanted to this people by YHWH. To live in a holy land (sacred space), Israel must put off all attachments to mortal aims, she must sacrifice the profane, horizontal world and enter the sacralized, vertical sphere to become hale, healthy, holy, and whole: wholeness accompanies this return to the center.The Old Testament is the story of a people who fail to come to the promised wholeness. Although Israel never realized this potential holiness, her movement from Egypt through the Wilderness to Canaan is typology for everyman's journey to a new consciousness: God separated Israel from the profane world opening the door to cleansed perception, greater unity and conscious innocence. In keeping his covenant they would find the sacred and return to the center, thus recreating the primordial pattern: moving from chaos to order--the eternal return.

This study has shown that there is a textual relationship between the Doctrine and Covenants and the King James Version of the Bible in that out of 1240 of the 1999 verses examined in Sections 65-133 of the Doctrine and Covenants there were found two paralleled Biblical phrases or clauses. Varying in subject matter, these clauses and phrases were either similar or verbatim parallels in vocabulary, syntax or meanings (denotations and connotations) and, many times, in concept.In analyzing the location of the sources of the textual parallels, it was found that the New Testament is much more similar in subject matter and wording to the Doctrine and Covenants than is the Old Testament. However, paralleled passages referring to the latter days are particularly abundant in Isaiah, Joel, Zephaniah and Malachi.

No description available.

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2016-11-17T12:54:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Flávia Raquel Mattes_.pdf: 1077169 bytes, checksum: 8f39dae946a312e96c8e6a7ce0ae12c7 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-11-17T12:54:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Flávia Raquel Mattes_.pdf: 1077169 bytes, checksum: 8f39dae946a312e96c8e6a7ce0ae12c7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-09-15 / Nenhuma / O presente estudo tem por objetivo analisar e classificar as cláusulas restritivas dos contratos de emissões de debêntures, verificando as alterações destas cláusulas e as influências do cenário de elevação de risco, mensurado pelo rating soberano brasileiro, apresentado na data de emissão das debêntures. Adicionalmente, verificar as estruturas dos covenants e mecanismos utilizados para a mitigação de risco nas emissões e determinar quais os covenants contábeis e financeiros mais utilizados nos dois períodos de risco estabelecidos. Para estudar estas alterações, foram verificados os contratos de emissões de debêntures emitidas no período de 01/01/2011 até 31/03/2016, de emissões com registro na CVM e na modalidade ICVM 400. Após a coleta de dados realizada, foi formada uma base de dados com 49 escrituras de emissões e 1.883 cláusulas restritivas, organizadas em 2 grupos de acordo com o rating soberano apresentado na data de emissão da escritura de debêntures. Foram utilizadas técnicas de estatística e análise qualitativa mediante a leitura e classificação dos covenants de todas as escrituras, prospectos, atas de assembleia de debenturistas e relatórios de agentes fiduciários. Os resultados do estudo demonstram que no período de maior risco os emissores apresentam dificuldades em cumprir os covenants financeiros e manter o rating apurado pelas agências classificadoras no início do contrato, resultando em eventos de inadimplementos e descumprimento dos covenants, nos quais os debenturistas e os emissores efetuaram acordos com pagamento de prêmios adicionais de risco e repactuações visando garantir a continuidade dos contratos até o vencimento, em detrimento de exigir o pagamento antecipado da dívida. Após a análise proposta e dos resultados, de acordo com o objetivo do estudo, foi possível demonstrar que o risco soberano não causa impacto como alterações estruturais nos covenants e no nível de restritividade dos covenants contábeis, embora as alterações de risco tenham consequências econômicas na captação de investimentos para as empresas. / The present study aims to analyze and to classify the covenants of debenture issuance contracts, assessing the main changes of such terms and the influences of the increasing risk scenario, measured by the Brazilian sovereign rating, submitted on the date of issuance of the debentures. In addition, it analyses covenant structures and mechanisms used for risk mitigation in issuing and determining which accounting and financial covenants are the most used in both risk periods established. In order to study these changes, the debentures contracts issued in the period between 01/01/2011 to 03/31/2016 were analyzed, registered with the CVM and CVM Instruction 400. After collecting data, it was formed a database with 49 issuing scriptures and 1.883 covenants, organized into 2 groups according to the sovereign rating displayed on the date of issuance of debentures. Statistical techniques and qualitative analysis were used by reading and rating of the covenants of all scriptures, prospectuses, debenture holder’s meeting minutes and trustees reports. The findings showed that it was during the greatest period of risk when issuers had difficulties to meet financial covenants and to maintain the rating determined by the rating agencies at the beginning of the contract, resulting in defaults events and noncompliance with the covenants in which the debenture holders and issuers agreed with payment of additional premiums of risk and renegotiations to ensure the continuity of contracts to maturity, to the detriment of demanding early repayment of debt. Upon completion of the proposed methodology and results analysis, according to the purpose of the study, we could demonstrate that sovereign risk has no impact as structural changes in the covenants and restrictive level of financial covenants, although the risk of changes have economic consequences in attracting investment for companies.

Abstract not available. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1991.

Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2018-05-17T12:04:30Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Cláudia Margareth Gomes Palhares - 2018.pdf: 1898669 bytes, checksum: b611b792f5ec8097a03a0685bb5f856e (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2018-05-17T13:07:06Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Cláudia Margareth Gomes Palhares - 2018.pdf: 1898669 bytes, checksum: b611b792f5ec8097a03a0685bb5f856e (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-05-17T13:07:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Cláudia Margareth Gomes Palhares - 2018.pdf: 1898669 bytes, checksum: b611b792f5ec8097a03a0685bb5f856e (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-04-16 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Using a database of 110 issues of debentures, conducted between 2011 and 2017 by companies listed on the Brazilian stock exchange, it was sought to identify factors of corporate governance of borrowers that affect the amount of financial covenants present in the debenture agreement and the restriction arising from the financial covenant "Net Financial Debt / EBITDA". For the model referring to the number of financial covenants, a regression was estimated by the Ordinary Least Squares method. The results indicate that the companies with greater concentration of ownership by the controlling shareholder, with a larger board of directors, companies belonging to sectors of economic activity of metallic minerals and information technology issued debentures with fewer financial covenants. On the other hand, debentures issued by larger companies, belonging to the leasing of vehicles and equipment and telecommunications and which issued debentures in 2011, presented a greater number of financial covenants. The second model was estimated through logistic regression and the results suggest that companies with greater concentration of ownership, greater size of the board of directors, greater independence of the board of directors, largercompanies, more leveraged and belonging to the public utility sector, were more likely to have a covenant that allows a higher level of indebtedness. The longer maturity of the debt seems to lead companies to issue debentures with a covenant "Net financial debt / EBITDA" that tolerates a lower level of indebtedness. The research provides support to the literature that internal governance mechanisms such as concentration of ownership, size and independence of the board of directors affect the amount of financial covenants and the constraint imposed by the covenant of indebtedness on contracts of debentures of companies that deal in the stock exchange Brazilian As a practical contribution, this study shows that companies issuing debentures may seek substitute mechanisms for the use and restriction of financial covenants and thus avoid the restrictions arising from these contractual clauses. / Por meio de um banco de dados de 110 emissões de debêntures, realizadas entre os anos de 2011 e 2017 por empresas listadas na bolsa brasileira, buscou-se identificar fatores da governança corporativa dos mutuários que afetam a quantidade de covenants financeiros presentes no contratode debênture e a restrição advinda do covenant financeiro “Dívida Financeira Líquida/EBITDA”. Para o modelo referente ao número de covenants financeiros, foi estimada uma regressão pelo método de Mínimos Quadrados Ordinários. Os resultados indicam que as empresas com maior concentração de propriedade por parte do acionista controlador, com um maior tamanho do conselho de administração, são pertencentes aos setores de atividade econômica de minerais metálicos e da tecnologia da informação, as quais emitiram debêntures com menos covenants financeiros. Por outro lado, as debêntures emitidas por empresas de maior porte, pertencentes ao setor de locação de veículos e equipamentos e de telecomunicações e que emitiram debêntures no ano de 2011, apresentaram um número maior de covenants financeiros. O segundo modelo foi estimado através de regressão logística, e os resultados sugerem que empresas com maior concentração de propriedade, maior tamanho do conselho de administração, maior independência do conselho de administração, empresas de maior porte, mais alavancadas e pertencentes ao setor de utilidade pública apresentaram maior propensão a ter um covenant que permita um nível maior de endividamento. Já um prazo maior de vencimento da dívida parece levar as empresas a emitir debêntures com um covenant “Dívida financeira líquida/EBITDA”, que tolera um nível de endividamento menor. A pesquisa fornece apoio à literatura de que mecanismos internos de governança, como a concentração de propriedade, o tamanho e a independência do conselho de administração, afetam a quantidade de covenants financeiros e a restrição imposta pelo covenant de endividamento em contratos de debêntures de empresas que negociam na bolsa brasileira. Como contribuição prática, este estudo mostra que as empresas emissoras de debêntures podem procurar mecanismos substitutos à utilização e à restrição de covenants financeiros e, assim, evitar as restrições decorrentes dessas cláusulas contratuais.

This essay presents evidence that the institution of the corporation has its origins and its main developmental 'epochs' in Judaeo-Christian theology. The notion of the nahala as the institutional symbol of the Covenant between YHWH and Israel is a primal example of the corporate relationship in its creation of an identity independent of its members, its demand for radical accountability on the part of its members, and in its provision of immunity for those who act in its name. On the basis of the same Covenant, St. Paul transforms an ancillary aspect of Roman Law, the peculium, into the central relationship of the Christian world through its implicit use as the institutional background to the concept of the Body of Christ. The exceptional nature of this relationship allows the medieval Franciscans and the papal curia to create what had been lacking in Roman Law, an institution which can own property but which cannot be owned. This relationship is subsequently theorized as the Eternal Covenant by Reformed theologians and successfully tested in one of the greatest theological/social experiments ever recorded, the 17^th century settlement of North America. The alternative 'secular' explanation of the corporation provided by 19^th century legal philosophy relies implicitly on the theological foundations of the corporation and remains incoherent without these foundations. The theological history of the corporation was recovered in the findings of 20^th century social scientists, who also identified corporate finance as the central corporate activity in line with its Levitical origins. Although the law of the corporation is secular, the way in which this law was made a central component of modern life is theological. Without a recovery of this theological context, the corporation is likely to continue as a serious social problem in need of severe constraint.