Predictors of net trade credit: evidence from the Italian market

In light of the multiple motivations for the use of trade credit, firms tend to supply and receive trade credit at the same time, so the choice to engage in one of these activities could influence the other. Many studies proposed in the literature define models of trade credit and provide empirical evidence, looking mainly at only one aspect of trade policy at a time. The few studies comparing gross and net exposure models are based on a limited set of variables or on a limited time horizon. In the context of one of the more relevant world markets (Italy), this paper compares models for gross and net exposure, demonstrating a significant difference in the statistical fitness of the two models and in the characteristics of the explanatory variables. The results demonstrate the existence of a strict relationship between trade credit and debt choices and suggest some unique features of net models compared to gross ones.