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Government investment in publicly traded firms

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  • Holland, Kateryna

Abstract

I examine shareholder wealth effects associated with different types of government investors in an international sample. I develop a taxonomy to identify government political, financial, and industrial arms. State investments, similar in dollar amount to state privatizations, have increased target shareholder wealth by over USD 50 billion. But market participants differentiate among government entities as target shareholders lose over USD 14 billion, when the investment is announced by the political arms of government rather than the industrial or the financial arms. The apparent intent of government agency is considered by private investors. Post-investment performance tests, institutional environment analysis, and access to credit tests corroborate this.

Suggested Citation

  • Holland, Kateryna, 2019. "Government investment in publicly traded firms," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 319-342.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:corfin:v:56:y:2019:i:c:p:319-342
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2019.01.004
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    4. Guo, Wen & Yang, Bo & Ji, Jiong & Liu, Xiaorui, 2023. "Abundance of natural resources, government scale and green economic growth: An empirical study on urban resource curse," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(PA).
    5. Ruiyuan Chen & Sadok El Ghoul & Omrane Guedhami & Chuck C. Y. Kwok & Robert Nash, 2021. "International evidence on state ownership and trade credit: Opportunities and motivations," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(6), pages 1121-1158, August.
    6. Restrepo-Ochoa, Diana Constanza & Peña, Juan Ignacio, 2020. "The impact of forced divestments on parent company stock prices: Buy on the rumor, sell on the news?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    7. Boubakri, Narjess & Chen, Ruiyuan (Ryan) & El Ghoul, Sadok & Guedhami, Omrane & Nash, Robert, 2020. "State ownership and stock liquidity: Evidence from privatization," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    8. Di Wang & Robert J. Weiner & Quan Li & Srividya Jandhyala, 2021. "Leviathan as foreign investor: Geopolitics and sovereign wealth funds," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(7), pages 1238-1255, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Government investment; Government ownership; Government-controlled corporations; State-owned enterprises; Sovereign wealth funds;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • L33 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Comparison of Public and Private Enterprise and Nonprofit Institutions; Privatization; Contracting Out

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