An analysis of revolving credit agreements

This paper examines the pricing of intermediate-term line commitments, often called revolving credit agreements. Their characteristics, covenant, and compensating balance features are discussed. The fixed portion of the line is described as a dual phased option; it behaves as a put or a call depending on whether bank borrowing is undertaken. Two valuation models, based on the use of the borrowing, are derived for infinitely-lived line commitments. The pattern of borrowing by the firm is shown to principally depend on the relative size of the fixed and variable costs of the line.