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Why do privatized firms pay higher dividends?

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  • Goyal, Abhinav
  • Jategaonkar, Shrikant P.
  • Muckley, Cal B.

Abstract

We examine state income and reputation incentives to account for the high dividends of privatized firms. Consistent with these agency-cost based incentives, we show strong and robust evidence that the extent of state ownership is positively related to corporate dividends. We distinguish between the empirical importance of these incentives using variation in the rule of law to protect minority shareholders, the fiscal deficit and the political orientation of the state. Our findings show that an incentive to enhance the state's reputation with minority shareholders can account for the high dividends of privatized firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Goyal, Abhinav & Jategaonkar, Shrikant P. & Muckley, Cal B., 2020. "Why do privatized firms pay higher dividends?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:corfin:v:60:y:2020:i:c:s0929119918303900
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jcorpfin.2019.101493
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    Cited by:

    1. Huang, Wei & Goodell, John W. & Goyal, Abhinav, 2021. "In times of crisis does ownership matter? Liquidity extraction through dividends during the 2007–2009 financial crisis," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    2. Xu, Xixiong & Lin, Cuiliang & Wang, Maochuan, 2024. "Does parenting daughters increase corporate cash dividends? Evidence from Chinese family firms," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    3. Muhammad Nurul Houqe & Reza M. Monem & Tony van Zijl, 2023. "Business strategy, cash holdings, and dividend payouts," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(4), pages 3999-4035, December.
    4. Hu, Jinshuai & Jiang, Haiyan & Wu, Yibing, 2023. "How does privatization affect cash dividends? Quasi-experimental evidence from China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    5. Ben-Nasr, Hamdi & Ghouma, Hatem H., 2022. "Dividend policy and religion: International evidence from firms with Islamic Label," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    6. Shu, Shaowen & Peng, Wei, 2024. "How does product market competition affect dividend smoothing? Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 177-192.
    7. Duong, Huu Nhan & Goyal, Abhinav & Kallinterakis, Vasileios & Veeraraghavan, Madhu, 2021. "Market manipulation rules and IPO underpricing," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    8. Thomas J.Flavin & Abhinav Goyal & Thomas O'Connor, 2020. "Role of corporate governance and lifecycle in determining payout precommitment in an emerging economy," Economics Department Working Paper Series n297-20.pdf, Department of Economics, National University of Ireland - Maynooth.
    9. Ritika Jain, 2022. "State Ownership and Dividend Decisions: Economic Versus Political Determinants," Journal of Quantitative Economics, Springer;The Indian Econometric Society (TIES), vol. 20(1), pages 23-42, March.
    10. Thomas Flavin & Abhinav Goyal & Thomas O'Connor, 2021. "Corporate governance, life cycle, and payout precommitment: An emerging market study," Journal of Financial Research, Southern Finance Association;Southwestern Finance Association, vol. 44(1), pages 179-209, April.
    11. Tahir, Muhammad & Ibrahim, Haslindar & Zulkafli, Abdul Hadi & Mushtaq, Muhammad, 2020. "Corruption, national culture, law and dividend repatriation policy," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 57.
    12. Tao, Qizhi & Wei, K.C. John & Xiang, Xueman & Yi, Biao, 2022. "Board directors' foreign experience and firm dividend payouts," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Privatization; State ownership; Payout policy; Dividends; Minority shareholders; State income; State reputation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G35 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Payout Policy
    • L33 - Industrial Organization - - Nonprofit Organizations and Public Enterprise - - - Comparison of Public and Private Enterprise and Nonprofit Institutions; Privatization; Contracting Out
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance

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