Commercial Credit Financing and Corporate Risk-Taking: Inhibiting or Facilitative?

Abstract

Improving the level of risk-taking is an important measure for enterprises to realize sustainable development; in this context, commercial credit financing has become an important type of transaction and an indispensable short-term financing method. In this work, we use a sample of A-share-listed companies listed from 2007 to 2021 to test the impact of commercial credit financing on corporate risk-taking. Research shows that commercial credit financing has a U-shaped relationship with corporate risk-taking, i.e., when there is a low level of commercial credit financing, it has an inhibitory effect on corporate risk-taking, and when the level of commercial credit financing is high, it has a promotional effect on corporate risk-taking. The main reason for this, based on substitute financing and buyer market theories, is that commercial credit financing has a “double-edged sword” effect. Further research has found that corporate financialization, debt default risk, and ownership form all have moderating effects on this U-shaped relationship. Heterogeneity analysis results show that among enterprises with good cash flow conditions, low financing constraints, and a low supply of commercial credit, commercial credit financing has a significant U-shaped impact on enterprise risk-taking. However, among enterprises with poor cash flow conditions, high financing constraints, and a high supply of commercial credit, commercial credit financing shows a solely inhibitory effect on enterprise risk-taking. This research innovatively clarifies the dual role of commercial credit financing in corporate risk-taking from the perspective of the supply chain, and these findings are pivotal in guiding enterprises to rationally allocate commercial credit financing and make informed risk investment decisions to realize the simultaneous sustainable development of enterprises and supply chains.