Market Timing and Capital Structure: A Critical Literature Review

Abstract

Capital structure is a vital area under discussion for firms since the cost of financing is fundamental to the company's ability to be competitive. The cost of debt and cost of equity does not follow the same patterns, and the implication thereof affects the firm's cost of capital, manoeuvrability and risk profile, including both distress risk and take-over risks linked to the subject are also ownership structures and value creation for shareholders given the diversification between the residual claimants and debt-holders. The purpose of this paper was reviewing the existing literature on the relationship between capital structure and the Market Timing theory of capital structure in the contact of emerging markets. The findings of the study indicated that there are several mixed results among the researchers on the subject and this has put forward areas of future research in the context of developing markets.

Keywords: Capital structure, Market Timing Signaling theory, Agency Cost Theory, Pecking Order Theory, and Tradeoff Theory