Accounting Measures of Corporate Liquidity, Leverage, and Costs of Financial Distress

Abstract

Liquid assets such as cash and marketable securities constitute a considerable portion of total assets, say 6.3% to 9.6%, of manufacturing firms. Financial managers pay a lot of attention to the measurement and management of corporate liquidity. It has also been recognized that a consequence of severe shortage of liquidity is financial distress. This study analyzes the relationship of the costs of financial distress to the level of corporate liquidity maintained and leverage.