The idea is practical since it means amending banks' debt structures, not reinventing them, although banks would need roughly to double the amount of this debt that they hold.

ECONOMIST: Regulating finance

They all have generally favorable demographic profiles, lower absolute levels of national debt, manageable debt term structures, and many other positive economic and capital market factors.

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Based on discussions with equity co-investors, certain strategic partners, and debt financing sources, we are highly confident that financing can be arranged, which will include comparable debt sources and structures as the existing deal.

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The Bank of England and FDIC also want big banks to hold enough capital and debt that could be converted into capital at the apex of their complicated corporate structures, so that this capital and debt could absorb any losses that would be generated as the bank is resolved or made safe.

BBC: The cost of making big banks safe

The next year the bond market roared back to life with a boost from the Federal Reserve, which allowed firms marred by bad capital structures to refinance billions in debt maturing by 2014 that was otherwise facing restructuring.

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That paper suggested companies shouldn't think of their capital structures as fixed--say 40% debt, 60% equity.

FORBES: Dow Jones Interactive

Comparative ratios demonstrate nicely how EV works better than market cap for assessing companies with differing debt or cash levels or, in other words, differing capital structures.

FORBES: Using Enterprise Value To Compare Companies

Structured products like collateralized debt obligations have lost billions in value as the loans underlying their complex structures deteriorate.

FORBES: Magazine Article

At low-coupon, high-discount junk bonds of good businesses with wrong capital structures, downgraded in the market because they are loaded with junk debt.

FORBES: Dow Jones Interactive