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Effects of financial constraints on corporate policies in Australia

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  • Xin Chang
  • Tek Jun Tan
  • George Wong
  • Hongfeng Zhang

Abstract

We jointly study the impact of financial constraints on Australian companies’ investment decisions and demand for liquidity. By examining a large sample of Australian firms over the period 1990–2003, we find that financial constraints not only reduce the sensitivity of investment to the availability of internal funds, but also increase the responsiveness of cash holdings to internally generated cash flows. Further analysis shows that the impact of financial constraints varies across different cash flow states; that is, financial constraints have a small effect on corporate investment and cash policies when cash flows are positive. In contrast, the severity of constraints is high in negative cash flow years in which the cost disadvantage of external finance coincides with deteriorating operating performance.

Suggested Citation

  • Xin Chang & Tek Jun Tan & George Wong & Hongfeng Zhang, 2007. "Effects of financial constraints on corporate policies in Australia," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 47(1), pages 85-108, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:acctfi:v:47:y:2007:i:1:p:85-108
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-629X.2007.00200.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Coad, Alex, 2010. "Neoclassical vs evolutionary theories of financial constraints: Critique and prospectus," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 206-218, August.
    2. Chan, Howard & Chang, Xin & Faff, Robert & Wong, George, 2010. "Financial constraints and stock returns -- Evidence from Australia," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 306-318, June.
    3. Fan, Chenguang & Bae, Seongho & Liu, Yu, 2024. "Can FinTech transform corporate liquidity? Evidence from China," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 3(2).
    4. Xin Qu & Majella Percy & Fang Hu & Jenny Stewart, 2022. "Can CEO equity‐based compensation limit investment‐related agency problems?," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(2), pages 2579-2614, June.
    5. Carlos Carreira & Filipe Silva, 2010. "No Deep Pockets: Some Stylized Empirical Results On Firms’ Financial Constraints," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 24(4), pages 731-753, September.
    6. Howard W. H. Chan & Yufei Lu & Hong F. Zhang, 2013. "The effect of financial constraints, investment policy, product market competition and corporate governance on the value of cash holdings," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 53(2), pages 339-366, June.
    7. Basty Nadia, 2016. "Corporate Investment and Cash-Flow Sensitivity: Evidence from a Jasmin Revolution Period in Tunisian Market," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 6(11), pages 634-646, November.
    8. Nidhi Singh, 2018. "Effect of Cash Holding Policy of Financially Constrained Firms on Their Market Performance," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 43(1-2), pages 31-45, February.
    9. Gurmeet Singh Bhabra & Parvinder Kaur & Ahn Seoungpil, 2018. "Corporate governance and the sensitivity of investments to cash flows," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 58(2), pages 367-396, June.
    10. Adriana S. Cordis & Chris Kirby, 2017. "Capital expenditures and firm performance: evidence from a cross†sectional analysis of stock returns," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57(4), pages 1019-1042, December.
    11. Julio Pindado & Chabela De La Torre, 2009. "Effect of ownership structure on underinvestment and overinvestment: empirical evidence from Spain," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 49(2), pages 363-383, June.

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