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Abstract

This paper applies the asset valuation model developed by Rabinovitch (1989) to the six largest Canadian banks. The model is an extension of the Merton (1977a) option-pricing model with the incorporation of stochastic interest rates. We then introduce a measure of distance-to default, Z-score. Our results indicate that the market value of bank assets is almost always below its book value and that Canadian banks have a very low insolvency risk over time, except for 1982 and 1983. We also find that both the market valuation of the bank assets and the z-score of these Canadian banks demonstrate similar regime switches in the late 1990s, which may be related to regulatory changes during the 1990s.

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