Abstract
We study an optimal dividend problem under a bankruptcy constraint. Firms face a tradeâoff between potential bankruptcy and extraction of profits. In contrast to previous works, general cash flow drifts, including OrnsteinâUhlenbeck and CIR processes, are considered. We provide rigorous proofs of continuity of the value function, whence dynamic programming, as well as comparison between discontinuous subâ and supersolutions of the HamiltonâJacobiâBellman equation, and we provide an efficient and convergent numerical scheme for finding the solution. The value function is given by a nonlinear partial differential equation (PDE) with a gradient constraint from below in one direction. We find that the optimal strategy is both a barrier and a band strategy and that it includes voluntary liquidation in parts of the state space. Finally, we present and numerically study extensions of the model, including equity issuance and gambling for resurrection.