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Environmental regulations, agency costs, and firm performance

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  • Baxamusa, Mufaddal
  • Jalal, Abu

Abstract

We investigate whether environmental regulation reduce agency costs. We find that increases in environmental restrictions decrease liquidity and increase financial constraints. In addition, it increases the likelihood of the firms being acquired or delisted from the exchanges. Such adverse outcomes should lead the shareholders into taking actions that mitigate these risks. We notice that shareholders restructure the board of directors and incentivize CEOs with more stock ownership. These actions, in turn, reduce agency costs and lead to increases in future profitability for these firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Baxamusa, Mufaddal & Jalal, Abu, 2024. "Environmental regulations, agency costs, and firm performance," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(PA).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:70:y:2024:i:pa:s0275531924001004
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ribaf.2024.102307
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Pollution; Ozone; Porter Hypothesis; Cash; Governance; Profit; Agency;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • Q50 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - General
    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects

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