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Shift from gross profit taxation to distributed profit taxation: Are there effects on firms?

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  • Masso, Jaan
  • Meriküll, Jaanika
  • Vahter, Priit

Abstract

This paper investigates the consequences of the corporate tax reform in Estonia in 2000. This unique reform nullified the taxation of retained earnings and maintained corporate income tax only on distributed profits. We investigate the outcome of the reform by comparing the performance of the affected firms in Estonia with that of firms from Latvia and Lithuania, the two other Baltic countries. We use firm-level financial data and the difference in differences approach for our analysis. The results are consistent with an increase in holdings of liquid assets and lower use of debt financing after the reform. A positive relationship of the reform with post-reform investment and productivity has also been found. The results point to a stronger effect on smaller firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Masso, Jaan & Meriküll, Jaanika & Vahter, Priit, 2013. "Shift from gross profit taxation to distributed profit taxation: Are there effects on firms?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(4), pages 1092-1105.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jcecon:v:41:y:2013:i:4:p:1092-1105
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jce.2013.01.011
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    Cited by:

    1. Konstantins Benkovskis & Jaan Masso & Olegs Tkacevs & Priit Vahter & Naomitsu Yashiro, 2020. "Export and productivity in global value chains: comparative evidence from Latvia and Estonia," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 156(3), pages 557-577, August.
    2. Kadri Männasoo & Jaanika Merikull, 2015. "The impact of firm financing constraints on R&D over the business cycle," Bank of Estonia Working Papers wp2015-3, Bank of Estonia, revised 30 Dec 2015.
    3. Norman Gemmell & Richard Kneller & Danny McGowan & Ismael Sanz & José F. Sanz‐Sanz, 2018. "Corporate Taxation and Productivity Catch‐Up: Evidence from European Firms," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 120(2), pages 372-399, April.
    4. Alessandra Amendola & Marinella Boccia & Gianluca Mele & Luca Sensini, 2020. "Fiscal Policies and Performance: Evidence from Dominican Republic firms," Journal of Applied Finance & Banking, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 10(5), pages 1-16.
    5. Bizņa Valentīna & Jurušs Māris & Laizāns Tālis & Šnikvalds Roberts, 2018. "Assessment of Impact of Corporate Income Tax Suspension on Financial Performance of Businesses," Economics and Business, Sciendo, vol. 32(1), pages 172-181, September.
    6. Matjaž Črnigoj, 2016. "The Responsiveness of Corporate Investments to Changes in Corporate Income Taxation During the Financial Crisis: Empirical Evidence from Slovenian Firms," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(9), pages 2165-2177, September.
    7. World Bank, 2017. "Georgia Public Expenditure Review," World Bank Publications - Reports 27138, The World Bank Group.
    8. Neba Bhalla & Rakesh Kumar Sharma & Inderjit Kaur, 2023. "Effect of Goods and Service Tax System on Business Performance of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(2), pages 21582440231, June.
    9. Karsten Staehr, 2014. "Corporate Income Taxation in Estonia. Is It Time to Abandon Dividend Taxation?," TUT Economic Research Series 9, Department of Finance and Economics, Tallinn University of Technology.
    10. Liina Malk, 2013. "Relaxation of employment protection and its effects on labour reallocation," Bank of Estonia Working Papers wp2013-4, Bank of Estonia, revised 04 Jun 2013.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Capital structure; Comparative economic development; Corporate income tax; Investments; Liquidity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H32 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Firm
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance

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