Multi-stage investment, long-term asymmetric information and equity issues

We analyze equity financing for a two-stage investment and consider different informational structures. When private information is short-term, equilibria are consistent with signalling theory and pecking-order theory. When private information is long-term, equilibria may exist where high quality firms issue equity. The model explains the link between debt-equity choice and subsequent performance after issue (short-term versus long-term). A set of new predictions is generated regarding the link between the extent of asymmetric information and equity issues, macroeconomic performance and equity issues and market timing