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Financial constraints and stock returns -- Evidence from Australia

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  • Chan, Howard
  • Chang, Xin
  • Faff, Robert
  • Wong, George

Abstract

Using multiple discriminant analysis, we construct an index that measures firms' external financial constraints in an Australian setting. We form portfolios of firms based on our financial constraints index and find that financially constrained firms earn lower return than their unconstrained counterparts. Moreover, stock returns of financially constrained firms are found to move together, indicating the potential existence of a financial constraints factor. Neither the variation nor the mean return of the constraints factor are well explained by existing asset pricing models, suggesting an independent role for our financial constraints factor in affecting stock returns.

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  • Chan, Howard & Chang, Xin & Faff, Robert & Wong, George, 2010. "Financial constraints and stock returns -- Evidence from Australia," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 306-318, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:pacfin:v:18:y:2010:i:3:p:306-318
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    Cited by:

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    3. Nufazil Altaf & Farooq Ahmad Shah, 2018. "Investment and financial constraints in Indian firms: Does working capital smoothen fixed investment?," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 45(1), pages 43-58, March.
    4. Pankaj Sinha & Priya Sawaliya, 2021. "Financial Constraints, Stock Returns and R&D in Indian Stock Market," Vision, , vol. 25(2), pages 192-200, June.
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    6. Chang, Yanhao & Benson, Karen & Faff, Robert, 2017. "Are excess cash holdings more valuable to firms in times of crisis? Financial constraints and governance matters," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 157-173.
    7. Fatematuz Tamanna Ahamed & Muhammad Nurul Houqe & Tony van Zijl, 2023. "Meta‐analysis of the impact of financial constraints on firm performance," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(2), pages 1671-1707, June.
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