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How do bond investors perceive dividend payouts?

Author

Listed:
  • Mathur, Ike
  • Singh, Manohar
  • Nejadmalayeri, Ali
  • Jiraporn, Pornsit

Abstract

We explore how bond investors view corporate cash distributions through dividends and how that view influences corporate cost of debt. Explaining between 45 and 67 percent of variance in credit spreads at the time of issuance, our model reveals a non-linear association between dividend payouts and investment return expected by bondholders. In particular, while bondholders view cash disbursements in small amounts as a positive signal, large dividend payouts are viewed negatively. Our results thus provide support for both the signaling hypothesis and for the agency-cost-of-debt hypothesis. The results are robust even after controlling for firm size, growth opportunities, profitability, leverage, business risk, asset tangibility, and term structure. Exploiting the 2003 dividend tax cut as an exogenous shock, we demonstrate that our results are not vulnerable to endogeneity problems. Finally, we find no evidence of corporations timing the payouts strategically to influence the cost of debt.

Suggested Citation

  • Mathur, Ike & Singh, Manohar & Nejadmalayeri, Ali & Jiraporn, Pornsit, 2013. "How do bond investors perceive dividend payouts?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 92-105.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:27:y:2013:i:1:p:92-105
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ribaf.2012.07.001
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    2. Khan, Kanwal Iqbal & Ghafoor, Muhammad Mudassar & Sheeraz, Muhammad & Mahmood, Shahid, 2018. "Pay or not to Pay Dividends: Company Policy and Investor Expectations," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 7(1), pages 137-157.
    3. Aoki, Yasuharu, 2023. "The effect of dividend smoothing on bond spreads: Evidence from Japan," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 621-637.
    4. Che Johari, Edie Erman & Chronopoulos, Dimitris K. & Scholtens, Bert & Sobiech, Anna L. & Wilson, John O.S., 2020. "Deposit insurance and bank dividend policy," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Dividend yield; Bonds; Costs of debt; Credit spread; Agency conflicts; Wealth transfer;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

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

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