Heterogeneity and state dependence in firms’ access to bank credit

Access to bank credit is a key driver of firms’ survival and growth, especially in bank-based financial systems. Building on detailed longitudinal survey data, this study investigates the determinants of access to bank financing by firms in the euro area, both in a static and dynamic setting. Most importantly, we account for the intertemporal nature of firms’ loan demand behaviour and banks’ credit granting choices and show that they are both characterized by significant persistence over time. We also find that repeated lending interactions enhance access to credit and that firms needing additional financing tend to be discouraged from applying after having experienced an actual credit restriction. Our findings shed light on the existence of substantial and persistent financial frictions in banking markets, which play a key role in amplifying adverse economic shocks, and call for policy and regulatory interventions to improve firms’ access to credit and limit systemic vulnerabilities.