External debt and exchange-rate misalignment in Brazilian firms: Developments and risks from 2000 to 2018

This article investigates the effects of exchange-rate misalignment on the earnings of 201 Brazilian non-financial listed companies over the period 2010–2018. A measure of exchange-rate misalignment was constructed by compiling information on the value of currency derivative contracts and generating a new database. The results indicate that exchange-rate devaluation has a negative differential effect for firms that have borrowed in foreign currency, including exporting firms. Controlling for variables that protect firms with foreign currency debt, we find that the differential effect of devaluation is negative for firms with larger foreign currency liabilities and positive for those with larger foreign currency assets or greater hedging. These results are robust to different specifications.