Investments under Risk: Evidence from Hurricane Strikes
1 : Northeastern University
2 : University of St. Thomas
We demonstrate that firms with plants in areas subject to a significant hurricane strike reduce their capital expenditures at the hurricane-affected plants and shift capital expenditures to plants in non-hurricane-affected areas. This effect is not present prior to 1997 and only appears from 1997 on. Our evidence is consistent with a significant climate event such as the signing of the Kyoto Protocol increasing perceived future hurricane risk from actual hurricane strikes and shifting firm behavior.

