| Summary: | Contingent Convertible Bonds (CoCos) are a form of hybrid debt securities that have been proposed
as a way of enhancing stability in the banking sector. Given they mandatorily convert from debt to
equity when the issuing bank is in need of recapitalization, they have been lauded for reducing the
chances of financial turmoil and the subsequent wide-spread problems that come with bank failure.
In this paper, I run a fixed effects regression model to determine the impact that issuing CoCo bonds
has on the profitability of 200 of the largest banks in Europe across a six-year period from 2011-2016.
My analysis shows that, after controlling for numerous internal and external factors, a statistically
significant link is found between CoCo bonds and profitability, suggesting that they are beneficial not
only from a regulatory standpoint but also from a performance perspective. I have broadened my
research to look at the impact of CoCos on shareholders of banks, their risks and danger, and the way
it has allowed banks to alter their capital structure and minimize their risk-exposure. I have drawn
links between the work of others on CoCos and my own analysis. Further results indicate that the
structure of CoCos is vitally important in determining their practicality, and they should be used in
conjunction with other devices aimed at controlling for risk-shifting. This way, their social benefits are
maximised and financial institutions cannot influence their characteristics in an unethical manner for
their own private gains.
|
|---|