Research interests

• Consumer credit; Corporate finance.

Working papers

• Desai, C.A., Udupa, G., and Atri, S. (2026). Shock Tree versus Markov Chain in the Life-cycle Income Fluctuation Model.  [Download]   

Published papers

• Desai, C.A. (2026). Bank geographic deregulation, new credit accounts, and consumer credit, Journal of Financial Research [Download]   
• Desai, C.A., Vijh, A. M. (2025). Firm (re)valuation and payouts, Journal of Financial Research [Download]   
• Desai, C. A., Downs, D. H. (2022). Banking regulatory constraints and personal bankruptcy filings in the US. (vol. 8, pp. 75-103) Journal of Financial Regulation. [Download] [Pre-print Edition]  [Internet Appendix of paper] 
• Desai, C. A., Gupta, M. (2019). Size of financing need and the choice between asset sales and security issuances. (vol. 48, pp.677-718) Financial Management. [Download] [Pre-print Edition]
• Desai, C. A. (2017). The cross-section of consumer lending risk. (vol. 42, pp.256-282). Journal of Empirical Finance. [Download]
• Desai, C. A., Elliehausen, G. (2017). The effect of state bans of payday lending on consumer credit delinquencies. (vol. 64, pp.94-107). Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance. [Download]
• Desai, C. A. (2016). Mortgage credit and bankruptcy chapter choice: a case of U.S. counties. (vol. 42, pp.680-705). Managerial Finance. [Download]
• Desai, C. A., Gupta, M. (2016). Divisional informativeness gap and value creation from asset sales. (vol. 51, pp.559-578). Financial Review. [Download]
• Desai, C. A., Nguyen, K. (2015). [Lead Article] What explains the change in a firm's idiosyncratic volatility after a dividend initiation?. (vol. 41, pp.1138-1158). Managerial Finance. [Download]
• Desai, C. A., Mollick, A. (2014). On consumer credit outcomes in the U.S.-Mexico border region. (vol. 45, pp.91-115). Journal of Financial Services Research. [Download]
• Desai, C. A., Elliehausen, G., Lawrence, E. (2014). On the county-level credit outcome beta. (vol. 45, pp.201-218). Journal of Financial Services Research. [Download]
• Desai, C. A., Elliehausen, G., Steinbuks, J. (2013). Effects of foreclosure laws and bankruptcy asset exemptions on mortgage default and foreclosure rates. (vol. 47, pp.391-415). The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics. [Download]
• Desai, C. A., Klock, M., Mansi, S. A. (2011). On the acquisition of equity carve-outs. (vol. 35, pp.3432–3449). Journal of Banking & Finance. [Download]
• Desai, C. A., Savickas, R. (2010). On the causes of volatility effects of conglomerate breakups. (vol. 16, pp.554-571). Journal of Corporate Finance. [Download]
• Vonortas, N. S., Desai, C. A. (2007). ‘Real options’ framework to assess public research investments. (vol. 34, pp.699-708). Science and Public Policy. [Download]