IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecanpo/v78y2023icp1254-1266.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

VAT rate cut and enterprise deleveraging: Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Liu, Yongjiu
  • Liu, Junyan
  • Dong, Peiling

Abstract

‘Deleveraging’ is an important objective of China’s economic macro-control. Tax cuts are an important measure to promote enterprises’ deleveraging and reduce operating costs and financial risks. This study employs the 2018 value-added tax (VAT) rate reduction by the Chinese government in a quasi-natural experiment with financial data from listed companies from 2016 to 2019 as research samples, applying the difference-in-differences (DID) model to analyse the policy’s deleveraging effect. The results show that the VAT rate reduction significantly reduced the leverage and current debt ratios of enterprises in the treatment group but had no significant effect on long-term debt ratio. Further investigation shows that the VAT rate reduction’s deleveraging effect was more significant for state-owned, highly leveraged companies, small and medium-sized enterprises and companies in eastern China. In western China, the total leverage ratio of enterprises experienced no significant change, current debt ratio increased, long-term debt ratio decreased and financial risks and financing constraints further intensified. This study’s conclusions have significance as a reference for China and other developing countries to improve tax reduction policies, stimulate enterprise vitality, reduce enterprise financial risks and effectively navigate the economic recession.

Suggested Citation

  • Liu, Yongjiu & Liu, Junyan & Dong, Peiling, 2023. "VAT rate cut and enterprise deleveraging: Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 1254-1266.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:78:y:2023:i:c:p:1254-1266
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eap.2023.05.014
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0313592623001029
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.eap.2023.05.014?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Petia Topalova, 2010. "Factor Immobility and Regional Impacts of Trade Liberalization: Evidence on Poverty from India," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 2(4), pages 1-41, October.
    2. Givoly, Dan, et al, 1992. "Taxes and Capital Structure: Evidence from Firms' Response to the Tax Reform Act of 1986," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 5(2), pages 331-355.
    3. Cai, Xiqian & Lu, Yi & Wu, Mingqin & Yu, Linhui, 2016. "Does environmental regulation drive away inbound foreign direct investment? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 73-85.
    4. Omesh Kini & Jaideep Shenoy & Venkat Subramaniam, 2017. "Impact of Financial Leverage on the Incidence and Severity of Product Failures: Evidence from Product Recalls," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 30(5), pages 1790-1829.
    5. Fossen, Frank M. & Simmler, Martin, 2016. "Personal Taxation of Capital Income and the Financial Leverage of Firms," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 23(1), pages 48-81.
    6. Auerbach, Alan J, 1989. "Tax Reform and Adjustment Costs: The Impact on Investment and Market Value," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 30(4), pages 939-962, November.
    7. Moritz Schularick & Alan M. Taylor, 2012. "Credit Booms Gone Bust: Monetary Policy, Leverage Cycles, and Financial Crises, 1870-2008," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(2), pages 1029-1061, April.
    8. Gordon Phillips & Giorgo Sertsios, 2013. "How Do Firm Financial Conditions Affect Product Quality and Pricing?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 59(8), pages 1764-1782, August.
    9. Franklin Allen & Elena Carletti & Robert Marquez, 2011. "Credit Market Competition and Capital Regulation," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 24(4), pages 983-1018.
    10. Jonathan Gruber & James M. Poterba, 1993. "Tax Incentives and the Decision to Purchase Health Insurance: Evidence from the Self-Employed," NBER Working Papers 4435, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Gentry, William M. & Ladd, Helen F., 1994. "State Tax Structure and Multiple Policy Objectives," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 47(4), pages 747-772, December.
    12. Francesco Nucci & Alberto F. Pozzolo & Fabiano Schivardi, 2005. "Is Firm's Productivity Related to its Financial Structure? Evidence from Microeconomic Data," Rivista di Politica Economica, SIPI Spa, vol. 95(1), pages 269-290, January-F.
    13. Wu, Liansheng & Yue, Heng, 2009. "Corporate tax, capital structure, and the accessibility of bank loans: Evidence from China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 30-38, January.
    14. Faccio, Mara & Xu, Jin, 2015. "Taxes and Capital Structure," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 50(3), pages 277-300, June.
    15. Graham, John R., 1999. "Do personal taxes affect corporate financing decisions?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(2), pages 147-185, August.
    16. Markus K. Brunnermeier & Martin Oehmke, 2013. "The Maturity Rat Race," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 68(2), pages 483-521, April.
    17. Scholes, Myron S & Wilson, G Peter & Wolfson, Mark A, 1990. "Tax Planning, Regulatory Capital Planning, and Financial Reporting Strategy for Commercial Banks," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 3(4), pages 625-650.
    18. Jonathan Gruber & James Poterba, 1994. "Tax Incentives and the Decision to Purchase Health Insurance: Evidence from the Self-Employed," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 109(3), pages 701-733.
    19. Amore, Mario Daniele & Schneider, Cédric & Žaldokas, Alminas, 2013. "Credit supply and corporate innovation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(3), pages 835-855.
    20. Gentry, William M. & Ladd, Helen F., 1994. "State Tax Structure and Multiple Policy Objectives," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association, vol. 47(4), pages 747-72, December.
    21. Zou, Jingxian & Shen, Guangjun & Gong, Yaxian, 2019. "The effect of value-added tax on leverage: Evidence from China’s value-added tax reform," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 135-146.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zhao, Lexin & Peng, Gang & Feng, Qianbin, 2024. "VAT rate cut and corporate maturity mismatch: Evidence from China's VAT rate reform," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Silke Rünger & Rainer Niemann & Magdalena Haring, 2019. "Investor taxation, firm heterogeneity and capital structure choice," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 26(4), pages 719-757, August.
    2. Magdalena Haring & Rainer Niemann & Silke Rünger, 2016. "Investor Taxation, Firm Heterogeneity and Capital Structure Choice," CESifo Working Paper Series 6098, CESifo.
    3. Mai, Nhat Chi, 2012. "Market timing, taxes and capital structure: evidence from Vietnam," OSF Preprints t3mvs, Center for Open Science.
    4. Jiayi Du & Guangjun Shen & Jingxian Zou, 2023. "Tax incentives and firm financing structures: evidence from China’s accelerated depreciation policy," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 30(5), pages 1346-1373, October.
    5. Teng Zhang & Qiuyao Fu & Chunhui Zhu, 2022. "Trade liberalization, credit constraints, and export quality upgrading," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 63(1), pages 499-524, July.
    6. Deng, Kebin & Zhu, Yushu & Smith, Tom & McCrystal, Alan, 2020. "Tax and leverage: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    7. Tuochen Li & Liang Yang, 2021. "The Effects of Tax Reduction and Fee Reduction Policies on the Digital Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-20, July.
    8. Fischer, Marcel & Jensen, Bjarne Astrup, 2019. "The debt tax shield in general equilibrium," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 151-166.
    9. Mahfoudh Hussein Mgammal & Ebrahim Mohammed Al-Matari & Talal Fawzi Alruwaili, 2023. "Value-added-tax rate increases: A comparative study using difference-in-difference with an ARIMA modeling approach," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-17, December.
    10. Haring, Magdalena & Niemann, Rainer & Rünger, Silke, 2016. "Investor taxation, firm heterogeneity and capital structure choice," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 210, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    11. Wu, Liansheng & Yue, Heng, 2009. "Corporate tax, capital structure, and the accessibility of bank loans: Evidence from China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 30-38, January.
    12. Fossen, Frank M. & König, Johannes, 2015. "Public health insurance and entry into self-employment," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 112934, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    13. Giovanni Millo & Gaetano Carmeci, 2011. "Non-life insurance consumption in Italy: a sub-regional panel data analysis," Journal of Geographical Systems, Springer, vol. 13(3), pages 273-298, September.
    14. Gulcin Gumus & Tracy Regan, 2007. "Self-Employment and the Role of Health Insurance," Working Papers 0910, University of Miami, Department of Economics.
    15. Håkan Selin, 2012. "Marginal Tax Rates and Tax‐Favoured Pension Savings of the Self‐Employed: Evidence from Sweden," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 114(1), pages 79-100, March.
    16. Melissa A. Thomasson, 2003. "The Importance of Group Coverage: How Tax Policy Shaped U.S. Health Insurance," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 93(4), pages 1373-1384, September.
    17. David Roodman & James G. MacKinnon & Morten Ørregaard Nielsen & Matthew D. Webb, 2019. "Fast and wild: Bootstrap inference in Stata using boottest," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 19(1), pages 4-60, March.
    18. Courant, Paul N., 1994. "How Would You Know a Good Economic Policy if You Tripped Over One? Hint: Don't Just Count Jobs," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 47(4), pages 863-881, December.
    19. Velamuri, Malathi, 2009. "Taxes, Health Insurance and Women’s Self-Employment," MPRA Paper 15731, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Omesh Kini & Mo Shen & Jaideep Shenoy & Venkat Subramaniam, 2022. "Labor Unions and Product Quality Failures," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(7), pages 5403-5440, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:ecanpo:v:78:y:2023:i:c:p:1254-1266. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/economic-analysis-and-policy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.