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Disappearing and reappearing dividends

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  • Michaely, Roni
  • Moin, Amani

Abstract

We decompose the decrease (1970s–2000) and subsequent recovery (2000–2018) in the fraction of dividend-paying firms. Changes in firm characteristics and proclivity to pay (probability of paying dividends conditional on characteristics) each drive half of the dividend disappearance. A higher proclivity drives 82% of the dividend reappearance. The remaining 18% is driven by a single characteristic: reduced earnings volatility. Changing characteristics are associated with low-profitability, high-earnings-volatility firms. Changing proclivity is associated with stable, profitable firms. Rather than dividend initiations or omissions, newly listed and delisted firms drive trends. Finally, the magnitude and duration of disappearing total payout is substantially smaller than that of dividends, indicating some substitution between dividends and repurchases.

Suggested Citation

  • Michaely, Roni & Moin, Amani, 2022. "Disappearing and reappearing dividends," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(1), pages 207-226.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfinec:v:143:y:2022:i:1:p:207-226
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jfineco.2021.06.029
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Stylianos Asimakopoulos & James Malley & Apostolis Philippopoulos, 2024. "The Firm-level and Aggregate E¤ects of Corporate Payout Policy," Working Papers 2024_13, Business School - Economics, University of Glasgow.
    3. Ciaran Driver & Anna Grosman & Pasquale Scaramozzino & Keagile Lesame, 2023. "DividendspolicyandpayoutsevidencefromSouthAfrica," Working Papers 11042, South African Reserve Bank.
    4. Xiaoqiao Wang & Jing Xie & Bohui Zhang & Xiaofeng Zhao, 2024. "Unraveling the Dividend Puzzle: A Field Experiment," Working Papers 202406, University of Macau, Faculty of Business Administration.
    5. Khelifa Mazouz & Yuliang Wu & Rabab Ebrahim & Abhijit Sharma, 2023. "Dividend policy, systematic liquidity risk, and the cost of equity capital," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 60(3), pages 839-876, April.
    6. Ed-Dafali, Slimane & Patel, Ritesh & Iqbal, Najaf, 2023. "A bibliometric review of dividend policy literature," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    7. Booth, Laurence & Chang, Bin & Zhou, Jun, 2023. "The evolution of corporate payout in Canada," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    8. Michaely, Roni & Qian, Meijun, 2022. "Does stock market liquidity affect dividends?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    9. Thomas J. Chemmanur & Zeyu Sun & Jing Xie, 2024. "Keeping up with the Joneses: Corporate Dividends and Common Institutional Blockholders," Working Papers 202407, University of Macau, Faculty of Business Administration.
    10. Braun, Matías & Rubio, Germán & Tigero, Tamara, 2023. "Payout policy around the world," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    11. Yin Chen & Roni Israelov, 2024. "Income illusions: challenging the high yield stock narrative," Journal of Asset Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(2), pages 190-202, March.
    12. Merchan Alvarez, Federico Alberto, 2023. "Export impact on dividend policy for big Colombian exporting firms, 2006-2014," Kiel Working Papers 2243, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Dividends; Payout policy; Stock repurchases;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G35 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Payout Policy
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill

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