TERMS OF LENDING FOR SMALL BUSINESS LINES OF CREDIT: THE ROLE OF LOAN GUARANTEES

This study examines the role of loan guarantees in lines of credit granted to small businesses. Since there is evidence of simultaneity among lending terms, two-stage instrumental variable procedures are used to obtain consistent parameter estimates. The findings suggest the presence of a loan guarantee is associated with lower interest rates and smaller lines of credit and that loan guarantees and collateral are to some extent substitutes in that loans guarantees are a close substitute for collateral but collateral does not always serve as a close substitute for loan guarantees. Furthermore, firms with longer banking relationships and/or fewer banking relationships are less likely to have loan guarantees.