Law Commons^™

The Role Of Convertible Securities In Corporate Finance, George W. Dent

Faculty Publications

This Article examines theories supporting the use of convertible secyrutues and finds them insufficient even for public companies, to which they are supposed to apply. They fare worse yet for private firms which use convertibles even more frequently. Indeed, no one theory explains all uses of convertibles. Convertibles can reduce agency costs by reconciling differences in risk aversion and diminishing managers' exploitation of investors, but they can also promote managers' interests at the expense of shareholders. The mix of factors varies from case to case. Thus, the role of convertibles proves complex and diverse. After describing convertible securities (part II) …